The Immortal Alchemist
by Rei Akio
Summary: Melita Luvenia is a traveling alchemist. Something about her is not right. Is it the fact that she's immortal or the fact that she is able to transmute without a circle? What happens when she meets the famous Elrics?
1. Chapter 1

"Here we have it… A healthy baby girl." Said a man in a dust mask.

"That's great…"

The man set the child on a pillow on the floor. She was sound asleep.

"Perfect… a live human sacrifice… With this… We will definitely have a perfect philosopher's stone."

Another man set his hands on a transmutation circle. Electrical waves sprung out of the outline. Various men and women in white coats stood around the experiment. Suddenly, one collapsed, trying to catch their breath. Many other people followed this act. Smoke rose from the circle. It didn't take long before the commotion died down.

The baby opened her eyes and had begun to cry. There was a dark hint of red in her black eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

"Gah!" An elderly man cried when he found his shed collapsed within itself, "It will take forever to rebuild this…"

"Mind if I help?" A slim girl in a black jacket and miniskirt walked up to him. She held a suitcase in her right hand.

"Sorry missy, I feel like this job is too big for the both of us… And I wouldn't want you to hurt your delicate hands…" The old man sighed, "The was quite the storm… To have been able to destroy my shed like this…"

"Who said you and I were gonna build this?" She asked. She set her suitcase down. She clapped her hands and set them on the ground. Electrical waves sparked around the ruined building. It steadily rose, rebuilding itself. In a matter of seconds, the shed was brand new again. The girl stood up and smiled at the man, "How's that?"

"You… You're an alchemist?!" He was astonished, "How can I thank you?"

"Can you tell me where the inn is in this town?" She asked him.

"Don't bother! You can rest at my house. I'm sure my wife would welcome you!" The old man said.

"Oh, there's no need…"

"Please, this is the least I can do for someone who just repaired my shed!"

"If you insist…"

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The girl sat at the dinner table decorated with food.

"I must thank you again for your help!" The elderly man said.

"It was nothing."

"You seem to be quite young to be so gifted." The wife said. "How old are you?"

"I just turned 15 last month." She said.

"15 and traveling on your own?"

"Yeah. I never met my real parents so I pretty much had nowhere to go."

"Oh, dear…"

"Come to think of it… I never asked for your name."

"It's Melita. Melita Luvenia."

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Melita sat in a guest room. Light from the moon flooded into the room. She looked outside. The sky was drowned by stars.

"The country side is rather nice… It would've been nice to sleep outside…" She stretched, "Oh well…"

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The sun was barely peeking over the mountains. Melita stood outside with the elderly couple at the door.

"Are you sure you have to leave? You're more than welcome to stay." The elderly lady said.

"There are more places I want to visit." Melita said, "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Please come back any time." The elderly man said. Melita smiled and nodded. She left them.

Melita sat on her suitcase on the station platform. She hummed as she gazed at the grassy fields.

"Where to next?" She whispered. She heard the train whistle. She looked to her left to find the train pulling into the station platform. Melita watched as a small crowd of people walked out of the train. Something caught her eye. It was a man in a suit of armor. She stared at it. It was very unusual for someone to be wearing a suit of armor in this day of age. The suit of armor stopped and looked over at her. They stared at each other.

"Hey, Al!" A short blond kid walked up to him. He was wearing a red long coat over black clothing, "What's wrong?"

The short kid looked over with his golden eyes at what the man in the suit of armor was looking at. They both now stared at Melita. Melita smiled at them and walked into the train.

"…" The boys stared at the train that was now pulling out of the station.


	3. Chapter 3

The train pulled out of the platform. The boy and the suit of armor watched as the train left. They were mesmerized by this sole girl. Melita sat down in a seat by herself. She gazed out the window.

"I think you've been gone long enough…" Said a voice. It was a man who seemed to be in his early 30's.

"It's only been a couple of weeks." Melita said as she turned to him.

"We have big jobs to do and we don't have any hands. We need you to come back… No. You are going to come back." He said.

"You people are nothing but a nuisance…" Melita looked back over to the window.

"Watch it."

"Or what? You're gonna kill me?" Melita mocked.

"…"

The man sighed, "Just come back."

"I'll think about it…" The man got up and left the cart.

Melita rolled her eyes.

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The City of Liore. City of the great prophecy, Leto.

"It's so hot…" Melita said. She walked around. She noticed a red fountain. The closer you got to it, the stronger the smell of wine became. Of course, it was a fountain of wine… How could a city in the middle of the desert have such a luxury.

She was about to turn around when she was bumped into by a girl. She looked no older than herself. Her bangs were a dull pink and her eyes were a lavender shade of blue.

"I'm sorry!" She looked at Melita's hand, which held the suitcase, "A traveler? Do you have a place to stay? I can help you with that!"

"Um… Okay?" Melita responded.

The girl pulled her along. They headed towards the church.

"My name is Rose."

"Melita." She responded as Rose pulled her into the church. She had pretty much pushed her into a room that was in a building behind the church.

"Er…" Melita was about to say something when Rose interrupted her.

"Would you like something to eat, water?"

"I'm fine…"

"Please rest well." Rose smiled and closed the door behind her.

Melita was a little dumbfounded. It all happened too fast. There was a knock on the door. Melita opened it as she sighed, "I said I was fine…"

It was not Rose, but a man in a uniform. He smirked. Melita frowned. She slammed the door in his face.

"Hey!" He opened it.

"Get out, I just got here."

"We need you to do your job!" He said. Melita glanced at him. He took out a red stone that was in his pocket, "I need you to meet the Pops of this place. Make an offer with him. Have him take this stone. I'm sure you can convince him."

"Why don't you make someone else do it?" Melita flopped onto the bed.

"Like I said, we're busy. They should be here shortly." He said, "The sooner you do it, the sooner you can go back to traveling."

"…" The man threw the stone to Melita. She caught it with her mouth. She grabbed it with her hand and examined it. It was a dark red stone. It was like her eyes almost, that shade of red. The man left, "Didn't give me much of a choice."

Melita got up out of bed and opened her suit case. Inside were a bunch of clothes. She dug deep into it and pulled out black clothing. She changed. She pulled on her black leggings. She took off her shirt. On her bare chest was a black circle within another black circle. She put on her top which only covered her breasts. They were a fair size, not too big not too small. She pulled on black combat boots.

She stretched and yawned. "I don't want to do this.

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An elderly man sat in an office. He was overlooking paperwork.

"Hey, mister." Said a voice. He looked up to find no one.

"Who's there!?" He called out.

"A little angel." No one approached to claim the voice.

"A demon?!" This alarmed the man. He stood up.

"What is your desire? The thing you truly desire. To make yourself rich? To make this town prosper?"

"…"

In the blink of an eye, Melita stood before the man.

"Who…?"

"Like I said, an angel." Melita, "I will ask again… What do you most desire?"

Melita walked up to his desk and sat on it. She leaned closer to him, "I can get you what you most desire. Fame, fortune, you name it."

"What… I most desire…?"

"People will grow to respect you. Not just the town… Everyone… The whole country, even."

"There's no way…"

"But there is." Melita pulled out the stone from her pocket. She showed him, "With this… you can become the most powerful man in the world… You can over throw King Bradley…"

"I can…."

"Just take this and do what I tell you to do…." Melita pulled the stone close to her face.

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Melita stood in a corridor which overlooked the church. She watched as the pope preformed alchemy with his bare hands. The audience was overwhelmed.

"Now my job is done." Melita began to walked away when she stopped. Blood seeped from her mouth.

"Don't think you'll be able to hide forever." Said a female voice. There was a thin sharp object that had pierced Melita's chest, right below her tattoo. That sharp object had extended out from a hand. The hand was connected to a beautiful woman who was very curvy. She had a little round boy standing next to her. He was very fat. His fingers alone were very thick.

"I'm hungry…" He mumbled.

"Let go." Melita said, "I already did what I was suppose to do."

The long nail retreated as more blood seeped out of her mouth. There was a bit of electricity. It healed the wound.

"You just stay here and keep an eye on things." Melita began to walk away.

"We'll find you when we need you again." The woman purred, "Sloth the Indolent."

Melita frowned as she heard that name, Sloth the Indolent.


	4. Chapter 4

Melita walked into her room. She wiped the blood that was dripping from her mouth. She took off her top. She stared at the hole that was in the center.

"Damn her…" There was no wound on her body. She stuffed the clothing in her suitcase and changed into some regular clothing.

"I need to leave this place now that they're here…" She said. There was another knock on the door.

"What now?" She opened the door to find Rose standing there.

"Sorry to bother you, but I came to see if you needed anything."

"I'm fine." Melita said.

"Have you heard that Father Cornello had preformed miracles in this evening's mass?"

"Cornello?" Melita asked.

"Yes, he's the Father of this church. He was absolutely amazing!" It had seemed that Melita had successfully finished her job of delivering the stone to this Cornello, "You just have to see him in person!"

"I'm sorry, but me and God, well, we aren't buddies." Melita told her, "I'm an alchemist. A scientist… I don't believe in anything. I'm what you would call an atheist… Religion… is simply a bother…"

"That… That's not true!" Rose replied, "If you just… If you just hear the will of God, then surely, you will change your ways!"

"Sorry…" Melita slowly closed the door, "I appreciate for your generosity…"

Melita sighed. She slipped under the covers on the bed and went to sleep. Why was Rose so dedicated to God? If there was a god, then Melita could've been somewhere better… God is nothing but a fictional character… As a matter of fact, it was Melita who had made Letoism bloom! She was the one who gave Cornello the stone, even though it wasn't her idea, it was her!

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The next morning, Melita was about to leave her room when a voice stopped her, the same female voice that spoke to her the day before.

"We're going to have to have you stay for a bit longer… We're expecting a certain person to come." Melita turned around to find the woman leaning on the ledge of the window. She was staring outside. She was watching as Rose set some flowers on a grave that was in the cemetery next to the room.

"What does that have to do with me?" Melita asked, "I did what I was told to do… What more do you want?"

"It's not what we want… We just need to make sure this goes well, Sloth."

"Don't call me that!" Melita shouted.

"Angry are we now?" She purred.

"Why don't you do something for a change, Lust?"

"Believe it or not, I do. I do the big jobs that are out of your hands. You just do all of the tiny stuff we don't have the time to do… Remember, there's only 5 of us… 4 since Gluttony is nothing more than a pet…"

"Where is that ball of fat anyway?" Melita looked around.

"He's having breakfast." said 'Lust,' "Don't worry… He should arrive tomorrow. After he does, we'll give you a mission."

Melita frowned and left the room.

"… You have to make her happy."

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Melita walked around the town. She heard a loud voice shout and repeat, "Water water water water water water water water water water water water water water!"

She looked over and found a blond boy running towards the fountain of wine. The blond boy sulked when he reached the fountain. It was a disappointment. It was wine. A suit of armor followed him.

"Its wine..." The boy sighed.

"Hey get away from there!" Shouted a man. He grabbed the boy and pulled him away, "You know kids aren't allowed hang around here!"

Melita noticed a lump of black digging through a trash heap nearby. It pulled its head out. It was the fat boy who was with "Lust" the day before.

"Gluttony!" Melita ran and pushed the boy into an alley.

"Sloth?" Gluttony looked up at Melita who was becoming irritated, "I'm hungry..."

"You know better than to be running around in public! We're going back to Lust!" Melita pulled Gluttony along.

"Where's Lust?"

"We're going to her right now!" Melita walked through the alleys, careful not to be seen. If she was, it could become a little problematic. She glanced behind her. In a little shop, the blond boy and the suit of armor sat there. She saw Rose walk up. What type of life do those boys lead?

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"Hey! Where are you?!" Melita shouted as she entered a dark chamber.

"Keep it down." Lust purred as she walked down some steps.

"You're suppose to take care of your pet." Melita let go of Gluttony who waddled over to Lust, "What do you think would happen if he were to bump into someone?"

"I suppose you're right…" Lust sighed, "It seems that our guests have arrived. They should be arriving at the church shortly."

"You said they were gonna be here tomorrow…"

"I thought that too, but I guess we were wrong." Lust said, "I need you to keep an eye on them while they're here."

"Who are these people?" Melita asked, unsure of who to watch.

"They're state alchemists. They're going to arrive with that girl." Lust began to walk back up the steps.

"…"

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"So you're telling me what modern science can't do you can do with prayer?" Melita stood in the corridor where she was the previous day. Rose was standing in front of the alter as the blond boy who she has kept meeting sat in the audience. Who would've known that he would be a state alchemist.

"Lift thy voice to god, and the prayers of the fateful shall be answered!"

"Did I mention all those ingredients I read off, they can be bought with a child's pocket money. Humans are pretty cheap." The boy stood up and walked over to the alter.

There was a loud bang. This startled Melita. A clank and thud followed afterwards. She watched as a metal head tumbled over to the boy's feet. He frowned as a man in black stepped forward.

"Cray!? What are you doing?!" Rose asked.

"These two are enemies of god. This is his will Rose, not mine." The man pointed a gun at the boy.

"That wasn't very nice of you." Said an unknown voice. Melita watched as a suit of armor that was missing its head stood up. The man turned around and attempted to shoot. It failed when the boy kicked the head which had hit him in the back. The man collapsed and the armor caught it.

"Strike!" The cheered.

Rose screamed, she trembled, "He doesn't have a head…"

"This is what happens when you step onto God's domain, Rose." She gaped then ran away.

"Rose, wait!" The boy called after her.

"Sloth." Melita frowned as she looked over to Lust.

"If you keep calling me that, I'm going to turn into Wrath…" Melita growled.

"I need you to follow them. Make sure Cornello doesn't kill them." Melita proceeded to walk when Lust told her, "And don't let yourself be seen."

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The young girl walked through the halls. The suit of armor that was with that boy, the armor that stared at her the other day had no head… What did they mean by stepping onto God's domain? What have those two done? How can they even be considered State Alchemists if they had done something that terrible?

Melita walked onto the scene. She hid in the darkened doorway. The chamber was rather large and dim for it to be lit up by a few mere candles. She witnessed the two travelers standing in the center while Rose and Cornello stood on some steps.

"A state alchemist, huh? I never would've guessed you would show up so soon."

"You're the holy man of this church, aren't you? Could it be that you're the one who possesses the Philosopher's stone?" Philosopher's stone?

"You mean this?" Cornello held up his hand. In his middle finger, he had a ring on it. There was a deep red jeweled imbedded in it. It has only been a few days… How could word have gotten out so quickly? Melita looked over to find the boy smirking. The two bickered back and forth. Rose was soon dragged into their quarrel. This didn't interest her in the least.

"If you want the Philosopher's stone, you'll have to take it from me!" The stone glowed brightly. The ground on which the two stood did the same. It turned to sand and became unstable. The suit of armor was dragged under as the boy hopped away.

"Seems like armor has a disadvantage in soft sand. And you can't draw transmutation circles in it either." The boy stood on his own. Cornello flipped a switch that was on the wall. The sounds of chains and an opening gate could be heard, "As an alchemist, you'll be able to appreciate this."

There was a low growl. Melita watched as a lion came forth. She noticed that it's hind legs were similar to a reptile's. It seemed that Cornello had been experimenting ever since he got a hold of the stone. The boy clapped his hands and touched the ground. He pulled up a long staff with a sharp blade on the end.

"How…?" Melita gasped. How could an alchemist be able to transmute without needing a transmutation circle? She has never heard of such a thing that was other than herself. She never seemed to pay attention to it, so she didn't question it until now. What allows this boy to be able to do such a thing?

This had equally shocked Cornello, "Go my pet!"

The beast lunged forward and attacked. The boy tried to pierce it with the spear. The beast snapped the pole in two with it's claws. It tore through the clothes on his leg.

"Gah!" The boy shouted.

Melita sighed. So much for not letting them die…

"What?" She heard Cornello gasp. Melita looked up to find the beast gnawing on the boy's right arm. He didn't seem to be in pain.

"What's the matter you poor bastard? Can't get a good taste?" The boy slowly raised his arm and flung the beast aside. It ripped the cloth off his arm. The boy then kicked it with his left leg. The beast was knocked unconscious.

What power… Melita gave her full attention to the boy. Impossible…

"Impossible! No one could've survived that! Unless… Your limbs…. They're fake!"

"Nice guess." The boy said. He ripped off his sleeve. Underneath the ripped clothing was pure metal… An automail arm, "Take a good look, Rose. This is what happens when you try to revive the dead."

Rose shuddered as she watched in horror.

"This is what happens when you try to cross into God's domain or whatever you want to call it… Is this what you want?! Look!"

"I see… You preformed an alchemist's taboo… You committed human transmutation!" Cornello mocked them.

Melita gaped. What was she witnessing…? Human transmutation? An alchemist's taboo? Suddenly, her head began to hurt. Images of a white room with a large door made of stone flooded into her head. On the door were scriptures of alchemy. A figure of a man stood there. He only frowned when he looked at her.

"I understand now." Cornell's voice brought her back to reality, "An automail arm and leg… That man trapped in that suit of armor… I know you… You are Fullmetal… The Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric!"


	5. Chapter 5

"You are the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric!" Cornello concluded.

Melita was surprised. This boy was a state alchemist?

"And here you go deceiving people with that suit of armor… Ah, but you have no choice. It is your brother after all… It can't be helped." Cornello taunted them.

"Shut up…" Edward muttered as he looked down.

"What was that?"

"I said…" Edward clapped his hands and shoved them to the ground. Pillars rose and bent towards Cornello, "Shut up!"

Cornello grabbed the railing that was before him as the philosopher's stone shone. He pulled it apart and held up a machine gun. He fired it and a wave of bullets hit the pillars. They stopped in place.

It became quiet. Melita leaned forward to see.

"Kyaa!" There was a scream. It sounded like Rose. The suit had picked her up. He looked past Cornello. What he saw in the shadows were dark red eyes. Its like he's seen those eyes before...

"Al!" Shouted Edward.

The suit of armor flinched and ran towards the voice.

There was a clap and electricity flew everywhere. A door swung open and it became quiet.

"DAMN THEM!" Cornello rushed towards the door where Melita stood. He stopped, "What are you doing here?!"

"Watching over..."

He walked towards her and pushed her aside. He was muttering aggressively.

"Cornello." Melita said as she stared at his back, "Don't kill them."

He didn't listen. Melita sighed. She followed.

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Melita walked around the church, unsure of where to go. She heard a loud voice from the outside.

"Tell me what I want to know and I'll be on my way."

It sounded like Edward. Melita listened as Cornello told him a detailed plan of him overthrowing the government. She turned around and began walking to his office.

"Ani?!" Cornello shouted. He hadn't realized he was on the air, "YOU LITTLE BRAT!"

"Shit..." Melita sped up. There was a violent rumble. Melita was overwhelmed. She quickly rushed to the scene.

She found herself in the corridor where she tends to hide. Underneath her was a large Cornello and a mini runt. It seemed that Cornello had the upper hand. The boy clapped his hands and performed alchemy. The statue of Leto which stood behind the altar began to move. A fist stretched out and attacked cornello. Debris flew everywhere. Melita leaned in and waited... The fist had struck the ground. Cornello had returned to his tiny size. The boy stared at him.

"GraaaAAAAAgghhh!" Cornello screamed. His arm had swelled up and iron grew out of it. The boy rushed to see it, asking for the philosopher's stone. What had happened to it? It disintegrated.

"... It was a fake..." The boy became listless.

"..." Melita sighed. She didn't bother to stay. She wandered the church and looked for Lust.

The busty woman resided inside a chamber.

"I assume everything went well?" She asked.

"You could say that..."

The door bursted open. Cornello dragged himself inside.

"YOU! What have you done?!" He asked, "The stone you gave me! It was a fake!"

Melita shrugged, "Was it?"

"I'm hungry..." Gluttony mumbled, "Can I eat him?"

"No, you can't. If you eat a third rate like him, you'll give yourself a stomach ache."

"WHY YOU! DON'T YOU DARE MOCK M-!" Blood dripped down his face. Lust had pierced his head with her finger.

"Now then..." Lust purred, "I'll remain here. As for you..."

Melita stared at her. What could be in store for her?"


	6. Chapter 6

Melita sat at the train station. She had a bored look in her eyes. The whistle of an incoming train was heard loud and clear. Out of all things... She had to do this... Why? All for their scheme. What were they planning, exactly?

She stood up as people flushed out.

"Come on, Al!" Shouted a familiar voice. She turned around to find the blond boy running towards the train. The armor was lagging behind.

The armor looked up ahead to find Melita standing there. Those reddish eyes...

Melita smiled at them and went inside the train.

She looked for an empty seat but it was completely packed. She sighed. This was ridiculous. First she had to clean up Cornello's bloody mess... They gave her a mission afterwards.

"Hey." Melita looked to her right. What awaited her was the famous young alchemist and the tin man known as "Al."

"Hi..." Melita responded.

"Are you heading to East City, too?" 'Al' asked.

"Yes... Well, I don't necessarily have anything important to do. More like sight seeing." Melita gave them her infamous smile.

"I see."

"How about you guys?"

"We're heading back to report to our superiors." Edward sighed.

"Superiors? Are you in the military?"

"Oops..." Edward whispered.

"Wait... Are you the Fullmetal alchemist?!" Melita's eyes lit up.

"Y-yeah..."

"Wow! I never thought I would meet the famous young alchemist!" Melita cheered.

"Well then." Edward boasted, "I must say I'm pretty amazing.

"Oh, Ed..." The armor sighed. He caught Melita looking at him.

"And you are?" She asked.

"I'm Alphonse Elric, Ed's younger brother."

"..." She stared at him as he became uncomfortable.

"Wh... What?"

"Why do you wear a suit?"

"Uhm..."

"It-Its a hobby!" Edward and Alphonse panicked.

"Okay then...?" The train halted. They were at another train station. The three moved out of the way so people could leave. The cart became empty. They looked for seats. For the next few hours, they talked and talked. Conversations about places they've been and sights they've seen.

They arrived to East City.

"Well, guys. I guess this is where we part. I need to find a place to stay." Melita told them.

"We know a good place here. Why don't you come with us?" Edward asked her.

"Are you sure?"

"I should help out my fan." Edward got confident.

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"Hey Al, can you take my bag? I gotta head over." Edward said.

"I kinda wanted to see the colonel, too."

"I'll do it." Melita smiled, "Our rooms are next to each other.

"If you don't mind..."

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Melita walked up to her room. She opened Edward's room and set his suitcase on the floor. She was tempted to open it, but she didnt.

As she closed the door, she noticed a man at the end of the hall. He smirked when he looked at her. Melita frowned. She opened her door and left it open. The man followed and walked inside. He closed the door behind him.

Her mission... Befriend the Elrics...


	7. Chapter 7

Melita sat on the bed as the door to her room closed. She looked up to find the man standing there.

"Well, how did it go?"

"What do you expect?" Melita asked him, "How long do I have to do this for?"

"For as long as it takes, or until one of them dies." He said.

"I thought you were suppose to be in Liore. What are you doing here?" Melita asked him.

"I was actually on my way there. I had to business to finish up with Wrath. I don't understand why you're annoyed with having to do stuff. But then again, you are Sloth." The man was hit in the face with a pillow.

"Hurry up and go. Make sure no one sees you." Melita gave him a scary look.

"Ho oh… Fine." The man opened the door and left.

Melita sighed and laid on the bed. How do the Elrics feel about become acquainted with her? How can she become friends with them? Slowly, Melita fell asleep.

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"Mm…" Melita woke up to a knock. She slumped up. There was another knock. Melita looked outside. It was already the afternoon.

"Melita?" A voice called. Melita dragged herself out of bed to open it. When she did, a suit of armor awaited her on the other side, "Sorry did I wake you?"

Alphonse. "No, no. What's up?"

"We got back pretty late from East Command. Ed's already eating down at the cafe. Do you want to go?" Alphonse asked.

"Sure." Melita smiled.

Edward was already inhaling his food when Melita and Alphonse found him. He showed no mercy, not even hesitated.

"Slow down, Edward." Melita chuckled.

"Oh, hey." He looked up to find her sitting down with Alphonse.

"How did everything go?" Melita asked.

"You could say it went well," Edward said, "For sending us on a wild goose chase, the Colonel is setting us up with an bioalchemist."

"Bioalchemist?" She's never heard anything like it before.

"Yeah, he's an alchemist that experiments with life. Apparently he's been able to create a chimera that could talk."

"As in the human language?!" Melita was quite surprised, "Wait… isn't that taboo? Tampering with lives?"

"Well, not exactly." Alphonse explained, "Alchemists have 3 taboos, one of which is to not perform human transmutation. In other words, you're not allowed to create a human life, or in some cases revive it."

"I see." Melita responded, "Then it's okay to tamper with the lives of animals…"

"Are you against that sort of thing?"

"Not exactly. I find it cruel, but it's for the purpose of science." Melita said.

"Well, we'll be gone all day tomorrow, so…"

"Don't worry about me." Melita assured them, "I'll just take a look around. You do whatever you need to do, don't let me get in the way."

"If you say so."

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The next morning, the two left the inn and left Melita on her own. She sat in her room. She opened up her case and pulled out a piece of wood.

"This is boring… I wish I could've gone with them… Heh, but they've only just met me…" She set the piece of wood on the floor right in front of her. She clapped her hands and set them on the wood. Electrical sparks flew and the piece of wood turned into a little dog. She held it up. She leaned back on the bed and looked at it, "Maybe I should've told them I'm an alchemist… Then they could've let me tag along… Or maybe it's only state alchemist approved… If I was in Central, I could've asked Wrath about that… Maybe it'll get me closer…"

She heard a dog bark outside. She looked over to find a clear blue sky waiting for her.

"Maybe I should just walk around like I said I would…"

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Outside, Melita came upon various small shops. Many of which were bakeries.

"Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all." She hummed as she walked into one shop.

In the end, she bought more than she could eat. It was already sunset. She walked back to the inn hoping to find the brothers in their room.

When she knocked on the door, there was no answer. She knocked again and someone answered it. It was Alphonse.

"Oh, Melita."

"Hey, Alphonse. Did you just get back?"

"Yeah."

"Where's, Edward?" Melita asked.

"He's, uh, well…" Alphonse let her in. Edward was lying face down on the bed.

"Hey, Ed, Melita's here."

He only groaned.

"What happened to him?" Melita set the bag of treats on the coffee table and proceeded towards him.

"We kinda read to the blind." Alphonse said. Melita poked him. He only groaned.

"I know what might fix him." Melita grabbed her bag of goodies and held it up, "Ta da!"

They waited and waited. Slowly, Edward lifted up his head and turned to look at them.

"What's in the bag?"

"Glad you asked!" She tossed it to him, "Why don't you find out for yourself?"

Edward carefully caught it. He sat up and looked inside the bag, "Wooah!"

Alphonse took a peek. Inside the bag were a bunch of pastries.

"Where'd you get all these?"

"If there's one thing East City is good for is it's bakeries. I went to about 5 different ones." Melita told them, "You can have the bag."

Edward stuffed one into his mouth, "Woah! These are amazing!"

"So, how did your day go?" Melita sat down.

"We met the bioalchemist. His name is Shou Tucker. He has a little daughter named Mina and a big white dog named Alexander." Alphonse said, "And he had so many rows and rows of alchemy books."

"Did you see any chimeras?"

"Yeah, a whole room full of them!" Edward said.

"And that's not the least bit disturbing?" Melita asked.

"Not really." Melita just looked at them.

"I guess it must be disgusting for girls." Edward munched on a round pastry.

"…" Melita just turned around, "I'm going to bed."

The boys stared at her back as she disappeared behind the door.

"What was that about…?"

Truth was, Melita was fully aware of how gruesome chimeras can be. She pretty much grew up with some of them… until they were killed…

Melita had lost her appetite as she was reminded of those horrid creatures. There was a knock at the door.

"Always…" Melita frowned.

"Uh, Miss Luvenia?" Miss? Luvenia? It certainly wasn't the Elrics because they weren't that formal… Melita got up and opened the door. There was a young woman there, "You have a phone call."

"Phone call?"

.

.

.

"Hey, it's me." Melita held the phone up to her ear at the front desk, "We have a little request."

"Do I have a choice?" Melita asked.

"Glad you asked! No." Melita frowned, "We have a certain commander heading over to East HQ. I would like you to give our man a warm greeting. Oh, and introduce him to the Bioalchemist while you're at it."

"I don't understand why I have to do these things. If you ask me, these are unnecessary tasks…" Melita answered, but she lowered her voice, "Anyway, isn't this a little too open, Envy…? Calling me here, out of all places… Especially when those two are around. They can come down any minute now."

"I know, I know." Envy replied, "I just had to get this too you. I know you tend to do your work best at night."

"Fine. Just be more careful next time, you fool."

Melita hung up.

"Hey, what are you doing down here?" Melita jumped as she heard the voice of the oldest sibling. She turned around to find Edward standing there.

"Just had a call from a friend."

"Well, are you going to eat?"

"N-no… I don't have much of an appetite… Well, g'night…" Melita swiftly walked back to her room.

"… Good night?" Edward was a little confused.

.

.

.

The moon was high in the sky. There were a few clouds hanging around.

A large man dressed in a blue military suit was walking down a hallway. It was dimly lit. He entered an office. There he found a shade of a person sitting on the desk. Melita.

"I welcome you, Brigadier General." She said. The room was dark. The only light that lit the room was the moonlight. Her eyes seemed as if they gave off a red glow, "I assume you're well."

"What do you want?" The large man who was decorated with a dark mustache asked.

"I'm not in pursue of anything. I'm just hoping your journey here was well?" The man didn't say anything, "I hope you are aware that assessment day is coming up soon. I've heard that the Sewing Life Alchemist shows some potential, wouldn't you agree?"

She only gave off a smirk. The man did not seem to be bothered by this young adolescent.

"That was once, long ago. Since then, nothing good has come from him."

"Then… How will this year fair?" She asked him.

"I don't expect much. After this, he will no longer be a state alchemist."

"Not even gonna give him a chance, are you?"

The man didn't respond. She slipped off the desk and walked past him.

Melita walked down the empty hall, "Just a mediocre alchemist…"


	8. Chapter 8

"Come to think of it, I never did find out why you're studying with that alchemist." Melita asked one night as she ate with the brothers.

"We're looking for something... No... A method..." Edward said

"A method? What for?"

"To make things right again." Melita stared at the boys. Back in Liore, they claimed they wanted to set things straight. Make things right again... They also said they stepped onto god's domain...

"Have you made any progress?" She asked, avoiding personal questions.

"Mm... More or less... We've learned a bit... But not really useful... Well, I have. I'm not sure about Al's end."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"You play an awful lot with Nina."

"She gets lonely!"

"You said Nina was the daughter?" Melita asked, "How old is she?"

"She's 4."

"No siblings? And her mom?"

"She's an only child. Apparently her mom left them due to rough times. I guess their dog makes up for it."

"That's a bit sad. Having a father for an alchemist, let alone of the state, must be really hard. It must be lonely…" Melita said as she looked past the brothers. There was a little girl with her father. She seemed rather happy.

Their table became gloomy.

"So what about you? Do you have any siblings."

She gave them a weary look then said, "None."

"An only child?"

"More like an abandoned child." Melita said, "I was found in a laboratory when I was only a baby. I'm not sure whether my parents are dead or alive, and I don't care."

"You don't care?" Edward asked, there was anger in his tone.

"I don't. They abandoned me when I was only a baby. You think I'm going to try crawling back after they successfully got rid of me?" Melita asked him.

"…"

Melita slowly got up, "I'm going to bed. Have fun with that alchemist."

"Brother!" Melita heard Alphonse say. The truth was, she wasn't hurt, nor angry. She didn't feel sad. She didn't have time for people like her parents.

.

.

.

Alphonse knocked on Melita's door. No one answered. He knocked again only to get the same result.

"Maybe she's already asleep…"

Inside, the bed was empty. No one was in the room.

.

.

.

Melita walked through the streets. She looked up at the sky to find an overcast. She came upon a house. It was rather large, almost mansion large. She walked inside, easily opening the door.

The house seemed to lack a woman's touch. It was dull and almost empty. Something a typical man would live with. She noticed a room at the end of the entrance. She walked towards it. Inside, she saw a man at his desk. Tucker. He seemed very stressed.

"Tomorrow's assessment day." The man said, "I don't know what to do…"

"That chimera that could speak the human language. You made it didn't you?" Melita asked him. He didn't seem surprised to see her there.

"I can't make another one… There's no vessel capable of being molded…"

"Vessel? What kind of vessel did you use?"

"That woman drove me insane…" He muttered.

"That woman? What wom... an..." Melita came to a realization. This man had used his very own wife to make a human talking chimera, "You didn't…"

"But I did…" The man slowly looked over to Melita. He gave her a crooked smile, "That woman drove me insane with her constant nagging. Always calling me garbage. Saying I was never capable of anything… Ha! I proved her wrong… But that was years ago… Now, I don't know what to do… I'm barely getting by enough as it is…"

"You're a sick man." Melita said, "What do you gain from having those two alchemists around?"

"I gain nothing. I hate those two. How can someone so young be capable of so much? But I guess that's what you'd call youth." Tucker slowly stood up, "Hey, did you know, that women are smarter than men? That's why I used her as a vessel… Even if they were to be mutated, they would still know the human language…"

Melita frowned. She watched as this man slowly walked towards her. In his hand he held a scalpel. He stabbed Melita in the stomach. Nothing happened. She bled, but not intensely. Melita kicked the man to the ground. She took out the scalpel and threw it to the side.

"That didn't work. It _won't_ work." Melita said. She begun to turn away, walking out, "I made a bet with Brigadier General Grand… He placed his bet on your failure in this year's assessment. You'll prove him wrong, won't you? I'm sure you can conjure up something…"

.

.

.

Melita woke up to the sound of a door closing. She heard footsteps fade away followed by clanking. Melita felt nauseous. She quickly got up and ran to the bathroom. She coughed up a lot of blood. Some of the blood had turned yellow.

"Eck…" Melita flushed the toilet then rinsed her mouth, "That bastard used anesthetic mixed with poison… Cunning…"

She had a chill run up her spine. She quickly changed and ran out of the hotel. Just as she reached the street of Tucker's house, it had begun to rain. It was empty, but there were signs of tire tracks, recent ones, too.

"Ed…" Melita looked around and ran the opposite way of where the house was. She slowed down as she reached an alley. Inside was Edward and Alphonse. In front of them was a wall. A wall covered in blood.

Melita whispered, "That sick bastard… To think he'd come to this…"

On the wall rested Nina Tucker along with her dog, Alexander...


	9. Chapter 9

"Edward…" Alphonse turned to the entrance. He saw Melita standing there.

"Melita…?" Melita's heart dropped. Although this boy in the suit of armor didn't show emotion, his voice made up for it.

"What do you want?" Edward asked, not turning away from the wall.

"Ed… You're gonna catch a cold…" Melita said, "Come on, let's just go back to th-"

"You want us to just go back? As if nothing happened?" Edward raised his voice higher with each word, "What kind of person would do that!? After…. After all this?! You're no different from Tucker…"

No different? Perhaps that may be true…

"What is that suppose to mean...?"

"Leave us alone!" Edward shouted.

Alphonse watched as Melita ran away. He turned to his sibling, "Brother…"

.

.

.

Melita stood at a phone booth. She had her suitcase by her foot.

"There must be some other way…" Melita spoke to the receiver, "They're not going to tolerate me now."

"Tough luck, kid. You're gonna have to fix the mess you did. Say, were you the one that provoked Tucker?"

"… What makes you say that?"

"Let's be honest here… He wouldn't think of that unless he was truly desperate."

"When I visited him last night, the man was insane. He lost all his common sense. What makes you think he wouldn't do it?"

"True… But if you were the one to provoke him, it will become even more troublesome."

"Calling you was no use…" Melita sighed.

"Remain where you are. I'm sure those two will forgive you some way or another…" Melita was about to hang up when she heard him shout, "… Hey! Wait!"

"What?" Melita pulled the phone to her ear again.

"You're in East City, right? Keep an eye out for those two. Especially the pipsqueak… There's this man there. He doesn't bring good news…"

"…"

.

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.

Edward shot up in his bed the next morning. He was short of breath. Outside, the skies were still crying rain.

"I found out Melita left…" Edward heard Alphonse say, "You said some terrible things to her…"

"…" Edward hugged his automail leg.

A few hours later, Edward stepped out into the cold rain. He walked around and ended up sitting in front of a clock tower. He let the rain consume him. He watched as the droplets of water fell from his strands of hair. Depression was slowly eating him away. If only he had foretold this sooner… If only he was able to save this girl. Why was the world so cruel? An innocent girl is now dead due to the regulations of being a state alchemist. Perhaps it would be better if he had just given up his title. Maybe he should march straight into that office and do that very thing.

"Brother… This is where you've been hiding…" Alphonse walked up.

"You know, Al… I came out here to see if the rain could drown out my sorrows… It might help me think things clearly… But my mind is just spinning in circles. It's going back to square one… Back to finding a way to make things right… How can I return you to your original body…? What if I never told you about human transmutation…?"

"Come on, Ed… Don't blame yourself for that… You know as well as I do that we wanted to see mom smile one more time… Be with her a bit longer… But nothing turns out the way you expect it to and you end up paying the price," Alphonse looked up at the greyed sky, "Even though I can't show any emotion… I still feel sad. Even though I don't have a heart, it still hurts…"

"And now… I've even hurt someone who was only trying to help… I really am a bad person…?"

"Edward Elric, I assume…?" Another voice joined into their conversation. Edward looked up just as a roll of thunder growled. The moment he laid eyes on this man, he got chills down his spine. He was dangerous.

There was a loud crash and it was not thunder. Rubble and dirt covered the sky. Edward and Alphonse ran away from the scene.

"I don't get it! Why is this guy after me?! It's not like I did anything to make some enemies…" Edward paused, "Okay… I take that back…"

"Brother! In here!" Alphonse hid inside an alley.

"But he saw us run in here…" He watched as his younger brother transmute. The walls of the buildings stretched and covered the entrance, "Nice going, little brother!"

They had begun running the opposite direction. Edward noticed a growing crack running along the wall. The other end of the wall was closed off by the destruction of the walls.

"Wha…?" Edward and Alphonse turned around to meet their doom. The man slowly walked towards them, "Who are you and why the hell are you after us?"

"If there are creators, then there must also be destroyers." He spoke. Edward took note of his appearance. Dark skin and grey hair. He seemed to have a cross in the shape of an X on his forehead.

Edward clapped his hands and touched a nearby pipe. He pulled out a large sword. The brothers readied their stance and charged at once. The man slipped between them. His arm charged right before touching Alphonse's torso. The armor shattered. His leg was broken off and a large gap took over the majority of his torso. This had surprised the man, it was empty.

"Al!" Edward glared at the man as he charged, "You son of a…!"

The man grabbed his right arm. Again, his arm charged and electricity blinded them. The force threw Edward back. Edward looked at the damage. His sleeve had been ripped apart. He then decided to remove his coat.

"Automail…" The man noted. He looked over at Alphonse who was on the ground, unable to move, "And that one over there is an empty suit of armor."

Edward transmitted a blade out of his automail.

"Edward, no!" Alphonse shouted, "Run away!"

His brother paid no heed. The man readied his arm, preparing for the upcoming attack. In an instant, Edward was once again in the grasp of his enemy. He was able to graze his cheek. Edward prepared for the worst. The man tightened his grasp on the automail. Alphonse watched as his brother's automail arm had been destroyed to tiny, little pieces.

"Brother!" He shouted as he watched his brother fall to the floor. Fear coated Edward and pain circulated through his nerves. The man towered over him.

"You're only after me, right?" Edward asked, "Then promise me one thing… You won't touch my brother…"

"My only goal is to kill the Fullmetal Alchemist… Anyone else who interferes will be annihilated. But if that is your last request, then I'll see to it."

"Ed! Stop! Get up and run! Stop it!" Alphonse shouted. He tried to move but his armor only broke more pieces. Slowly, the man raised his destructive arm and placed it on Edward's head.

"Edward!" Alphonse screamed.

Blood dripped on Edward's face.

"Guh!" Edward looked up to find the man had been replaced. She was standing up tall, full of determination.

"Melita…?" Edward asked.

"Hey."


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey." Melita looked down at Edward and smirked.

"What… What are you doing here?!" Melita glanced over at Al and his wrecked condition.

"I came to help you out." Melita set her eyes on her enemy. The man got up and ripped out a chunk of debris out of his arm.

"You don't stand a chance against him!" Edward warned her, but she didn't listen. She walked towards him, "Melita!"

The man darted towards her. Melita clapped her hands and slipped underneath the man, touching the ground with both hands and pulling out two swords. She positioned them as she glared at the man. Edward was in awe. Never he would've thought that she would have been an alchemist. But what struck him by surprise was the fact that she had no need for a transmutation circle.

"Who are you to interfere with the will of God?" The man asked.

"Will of God?" Melita remembered Cornello and his church of Letoism, "It has nothing to do with me."

The man dashed towards her. He tried to stop her movements, but failed. Instead, he aimed for her weapons. Just as he destroyed them, she had let go. Melita distanced herself from the man.

 _'No matter what I do, I can't let him touch me… Not without him giving me away_ …' Melita thought, _'This is harder than I thought_ …'

The man stiffened his arm, preparing an attack. He sprinted towards her. Just as Melita was about to dodge, the man struck her chest, right where her tattoo was and throwing her back, knocking all the air in her body out.

"Melita!" Edward shouted. The man stood over her as he was going to deliver the finishing blow, "Stop it! Kill me already! Spare her… Spare them! You promised me, didn't you!?"

The man turned back.

"Dammit…" Melita gasped. She clapped her hands and pulled out a large dagger. She got up and darted towards the man. She had landed a deep wound into his side. He elbowed her right before she could escape. Melita landed in front of Edward.

"Melita…!" Alphonse called out.

"I'm fine…" Melita sat up. There was a gunshot. The four flinched. They turned back to find that the whole street was covered by military officers. Their uniforms matched the one Basque Grand wore. One of the officers was as large as he was.

"That's as far as you go." Said one of the officers with the gun. He had short black hair and eyes. He seemed rather young to be in the military… as a matter of fact, they all did, "Close call, Fullmetal."

"Colonel!?"

"That man is a suspect for the serial murders of state alchemists… And looking at the present situation, it's no doubt that this is our guy."

"Alchemists are those that twist the natural state of creation to a degenerate form… That is in shot, sacrilege to our creator, God. As the messengers of God, we are those that carry out God's judgement."

"There's just one thing I don't understand. Out of all the alchemists in the country, why do you only target those assigned to the State?" The man asked.

"No matter what, if you intend to interfere, I will eliminate you too."

"… Interesting" The black haired man tossed his gun to his subordinate. She had blond hair that was slipped neatly to the back of her head.

"Colonel Mustang." She warned.

"Don't lay a finger on him." So said this 'Colonel Mustang.' Melita watched as Mustang put on a glove with some kind of sigil on it.

"Mustang? As in the State Alchemist?"

"Indeed. Roy Mustang the Flame Alchemist!"

The darker skinned criminal smirked as he prepared his arm. Melita noticed the subordinate frown as the ranked Colonel prepared to snap.

"For this many alchemists to appear in one day… God is on my side!"

"You know who I am yet you still dare to challenge me!?"

"Col-" The subordinate gave up and took out Mustang's feet. He fell right underneath the man's palm, this frightened him a bit. The woman pointed both her guns at him and fired.

"What do you think you're doing!?" The colonel shouted.

"You know as well as I do that you're useless when it's raining. Please stay back." She said.

"You can't make a spark in this weather." Said another subordinate. He had dark ashy hair. The colonel was broken hearted.

"This is indeed in my favor… I will annihilate everyone here!"

"Then try to!" Said a husky voice. It was the large man. He had punched the wake of the criminal. This man had begun to summarize every single thing that was said and in addition to that, he added commentary.

Melita noticed one of the subordinated run up to them. It was the one with the ashy hair.

"You two okay?" He asked. He took notice of Melita then glanced over at Alphonse, "What is she doing here?!"

Melita grabbed the man by the collar and Edward by the head. She pulled them down just as a transmuted stone flew inches away from their head.

"Hey! Watch it, Major!" This husky, large man had introduced himself as Alex Luis Armstrong, the Strong Arm Alchemist. The man had pulled Melita and Edward to the side, out of harms way. They watched as Armstrong had pounded the ground, and in its path, blocks took wind.

"Hey! Don't destroy the place!" The ashy haired man yelled.

"What is that you say?"

Armstrong had pushed the man into a corner. Suddenly, he pulled back. The female subordinate had a rifle in hand. She aimed and fired. The bullet had just grazed his head. This knocked off the shades this man wore. He looked up with red eyes.

"Dark skin, red eyes… I know you… You're an Ishvalan…" Mustang said. The tension grew.

"I see… I'm at a disadvantage…" The man said.

"Hold it! You don't actually believe you can get away when you're surrounded do you, _Scar_?"

The man raised his left arm and pressed it onto the pavement. ground underneath him had begun to deconstruct. Everything went crashing down. The men pulled back.

Melita gazed at the hole that was created. It had lead down to the sewers, "He won't get far… Not with that wound…"

Melita noticed a man come out of hiding. He wore the same uniform as everyone else. Melita could barely make it out but apparently he was hiding.

"Alphonse!" Edward had gone to aid his younger brother who had leaned up against the wall. The armor didn't respond, "Come on, Al…"

"You…" The armor mumbled, "Stupid brother!"

This was followed by a punch.

"Why didn't you run away!?"

"I couldn't just leave you behind…" Edward whined.

"That's what makes you stupid!" He punched his older brother again, "If Melita… If Melita hadn't shown up when she did… You could've been killed!"

"But she did…" Edward defended himself.

"You're not getting the point!" The armor grabbed the boy by his collar. His arm fell off, "Gah! Look at me now! MY arm fell off!"

"You're both missing the point…" Melita walked up to them, "You're both alive and that's all that should matter…"

The boys looked up at her. Edward sighed followed by a smile, "I guess you're right… We're still alive…"


	11. Chapter 11

Melita sat on the steps of the East City Military Base. She sighed. The sky had cleared up a bit.

"What to do now…"

 **~A few hours ago~**

Melita was leaning against the wall as she heard Edward and group of officials discuss.

"What is a civilian doing in the middle of this? Especially when you're up against a killer!? What if she got killed!?" Mustang scolded.

"It's not like she's a stranger… Plus, she's an alchemist, so you wouldn't really call her a normal civilian, now, would you?" Edward responded.

"Do you know how much trouble we would be in if her parents found out?"

"… She doesn't have any…"

"…" Mustang pulled back, "What are you gonna do about her now?"

"Wouldn't she be in danger of being targeted by Scar?" Asked the ashy blond known as Lieutenant Havoc.

"There could be a chance… Bring her back to HQ with us. We'll talk more about it there."

'Well… I think after this, they'll forgive me now…' Melita stared at the sky. Every now and then the sun would be covered up by grey clouds.

"Miss Luvenia. Please come with me." She looked over to Lt Havoc standing there.

.

.

.

"You want me to come with you?" Melita was standing in the hall with Edward.

"Yeah… well… There's a chance that Scar might go after you now… And in our current condition… It's not like we can go alone so we're gonna have an escort."

"I see…"

"Um… I…" Edward found it difficult to use his words, "I'm sorry…"

"Why are you apologizing for?" Melita gave him a weary smile.

"For everything I said to you… And now I'm forcing you to come with us…"

"Don't worry about it." Melita showed him a lively smile, "It was my fault anyway… I was being insensitive… Let's hurry up and get you two back in shape."

"… Y… Yeah…"

After a bunch of teasing, the group of military officials decided that it was Armstrong who would be escorting the three back to Resembool.

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.

.

The next morning, a military officer by the name of Maes Hughes bid the travelers farewell. After exchanging some information, the train left the station.

"You seem quite young to be traveling alone." Armstrong said to Melita.

"I suppose you're right... but it's not like I have anything else to do." Melita told him.

After hours of rambling on about Armstrong's family traditions, Edward stepped out of the cart. A few moments later, Edward rushed back in, very worried.

"Al is gone! We must've left him somewhere!" Edward shouted.

"We'll return after we reach the next station." Armstrong said.

"We can't we have to go back now!" Edward was tempted to jump out of the window.

"Calm down a bit, Edward." Melita said, "We won't go back to Resembool until we find him, alright?"

Edward had relaxed. It had seemed that Melita's words had soothed him a bit.

.

.

.

The town that had returned to was very cloudy. There were puddles of water scattered about, as if it had been raining for quite a while. The three walked onto the station. There was a large empty crate sitting on the side. It had belonged to Alphonse.

"He's not here!? Where could he have gone!? It's not like he can walk anywhere!" Edward shouted.

"Let's try asking." Armstrong suggested. They went inside the small station and asked the employees. Armstrong drew them a very fine and accurate sketch of how Alphonse had appeared. They had confirmed that he had been there but was taken away by a teenage boy.

"Great…" Edward had become irritated.

"We'll find him, don't worry."

"How can I not worry?! My little brother is lost out there! Who knows where he might be!"

"I said we were gonna look for him, and we are. We just have to look." Melita told him.

Edward stared at her. He ran off.

"Edward!" Both Melita and Armstrong shouted. Melita ran after him.

"Miss Luvenia!" Armstrong remained at the station.

Melita ran behind Edward. He was very fast, and eventually. Melita lost him. She walked towards the direction he was last seen. A man was walking towards her direction. He was rather old and worn out, but still had some youth in him.

"Ah, excuse me." Melita called to the old man. He looked up and walked towards her. He stopped abruptly, as if he was frightened by something, "Have you seen a suit of armor somewhere around here? Or a blond boy wearing a red coat? He's about this tall." She gestured Edward's petite height.

"I… I will not go back!" He shouted, "All of you…. Drown in hell!"

Melita was thrown back by his sudden curses, "Um… What…?"

"Go back to where you came from… d… demon!" He ran away.

"Demon…?" Melita asked herself. She looked down at a puddle. She only found her reflection. Black hair and dark red eyes… Yes… because that was normal… Those red eyes… Could that man have known her real identity, Sloth the Indolent?

This made a chill run down her spine. She touched her chest, right where Scar had hit her. She frowned and continued to walk.

She walked and walked. Eventually, she was lost and all she could see were fields. She noticed a group of people gathered together. One of them was rather large… large…?

Melita walked a bit closer to the group. Her eyes widened. It was Alphonse! She ran up to the group who stared at her. She noticed that Alphonse's head was on the ground and in the suit was a boy. The boy seemed to be a teenager.

"Melita!?" Alphonse called out.

"Al!" She sounded happy.

"Hey! What is a chick like you doing here?" Asked one of the men.

"I came to get back that suit of armor. You stole it and I want it back."

"No! It's mine!" Shouted the boy inside.

"You came here by yourself?" They eyed her body.

"How brave." One of them approached her. Melita glared at the man.

"And here I thought this was gonna be easy…" She sighed. She clapped her hands and touched the ground. She pulled out a long staff, "Are you going to fight me?"

They all backed away. She noticed the suit of armor trying to make an attempt to run. She quickly transmuted. The ground underneath the armor turned into sand and it sunk.

"Whaaah!" The boy panicked as he struggled to get out.

"I suggest you leave." One of them stepped forward. He pulled out a pocket knife. He ran towards her and tried to cut her. She used the end of the staff to hit him in the stomach. He fell on his knees and Melita kicked his head, knocking him unconscious. Another man showed up behind her. He, too, had a knife. He grazed her cheek before Melita elbowed his face and then hit his head with the staff. The other men seemed too weak to fight. They picked up their fallen comrades and ran. The boy was left behind. Melita dropped the staff and sighed. She had let the boy out who had left the armor laying on the ground. Melita returned his head. She sighed as she sat on the ground.

"What a waste of time…" She looked at the ground.

"Melita! You're bleeding!" This scared Melita. He was going to find out. She touched her cheek to find her blood on her finger tips.

' _It can't be_ …' Anxiety began to consume her, ' _I'm not healing… Why can't I heal…?'_

The blow Scar had struck her with may have caused this sudden change.

"Melita, are you okay?" Alphonse asked. He was sitting up now.

She looked up at him with her worried expression. She tried to smile, "Yeah… I'm fine…"

"Hey!" Shouted a familiar voice. She looked up to find Edward and Armstrong. It seemed they had found each other, "Al!"

"Brother!" The two came up to them.

"You found him!"

"I told you we were gonna find him." Melita said.

"What happened to your cheek?" Armstrong asked.

"Just a little fight."

"Well, we must get going if we're going to catch the next train." Said as he cleaned up Melita's cheek with a handkerchief. He then picked up the suit of armor, "If we don't hurry, there won't be another train until tomorrow afternoon."

The three rushed quickly towards the station.

' _Have I really lost my regeneration powers…?_ ' This thought bothered Melita. Melita noticed a slip of paper fall out of Edward's pocket. It said

"Central Library, First Branch.

Hopefully, you can uncover the truth behind the truth.

-Tim Marcoh"

The name sounded very familiar.

"Hey, Edward. This fell out of your pocket." Melita gave it to him.

"Oh, thanks."

"Who's Tim Marcoh?" She asked.

"Just some alchemist who lives around here."

For an average alchemist to have suggested something from the Military's Library doesn't seem right.

At the train station, they waited for the passengers to walk out. A woman bumped into Melita. Lust...

"Our target is Tim Marcoh." She whispered, "He's hiding something and we need it."

"Come on, Melita." Said Edward, "You'll be left behind."

"I'm coming!" She ditched Lust and followed the others onto the train.

Could what Lust and the others want possibly be in Central's Library?


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"I want to hurry and get my arm fixed so I can head to Central right away." Edward said as he stared out the window.

"Why are you in a rush?" Melita asked.

"I found a clue on how to get our bodies back… we just need to find a book that tells us how…"

It was dawn the next day when the group had arrived to Resembool.

"It's really peaceful here." Melita looked around as she was walking on a dirt path.

"Yeah." Edward's tone sounded as though he was happy.

Melita noticed that they were coming up to a river. The water was clear and children were playing by the bank. Never in her years of travel had she seen such a beautiful, peaceful town such as this.

"You grew up in a beautiful place, Edward." Armstrong said as he carried Alphonse in his crate.

"It's just a little further up ahead." Edward pointed. Slowly, a large, yellow house came into view. A dog barked. From behind the house ran out a black dog with what looked like an automail leg. The dog ran towards Edward and jumped on him, making Edward fall back. Armstrong set the crate down.

"Hey, Den." Edward greeted the dog as he licked his face.

The door to the house opened. There stood a short old woman. She was surprised to see the group.

"Hey, Granny." Edward smiled at the old woman.

"Edward? Alphonse?" The old woman said.

"Hi, Granny. We're back." Alphonse said.

"Who's at the door?" Asked a female voice. A blond girl with blue eyes came out. She looked just as old as Melita, "Ed! Al! You should've called us if you were coming back."

The old woman, was shorter than Edward, walked up to Melita and Armstrong.

"And who might you two be?"

"My name is Alex Luis Armstrong, pleased to meet you." The large man shook the old woman's hand.

"My name is Melita Luvenia." Melita smiled.

"I'm Pinako Rockbell and this is my granddaughter Winry Rockbell." She responded.

"What did you do!?" Winry screamed at Edward. She threw a wrench at his head.

"What was that for!?" Edward rubbed his head.

"My precious automail… It's been destroyed…" Winry sobbed.

"Don't cry, Winry…" Alphonse said. She glanced at him with a scowl.

"Let me guess… You're messed up, too…"

Alphonse didn't say a word.

"Let's go inside for some tea." Pinako told the two strangers.

Inside was just as large as the outside was. It was obvious that there were many rooms. Winry sulked in a corner as she sorted out the pieces of automail out of a bag.

"It was all custom made, too…" She mumbled.

"I see, you're an escort." Pinako spoke with Armstrong.

"Yes. Please allow me to assist you in any way that I can." Armstrong said.

"I'll take you up on that offer." The old woman chuckled as she smoked out of a pipe.

"They're your family friends?" Melita asked a beaten up Edward.

"Yeah. We've known Winry since we were little. We would play together a lot. Erm… Winry…" Edward spoke up. She glared at him, "How long do you think it will take to rebuild my arm…?"

"Seeing the condition it's in… It looks like we're gonna have to start from scratch…"

Pinako took a look at his leg and measured it with the other.

"Well well… Looks like you did grow. We're gonna have to make some adjustments here, too, Winry."

"Automail engineers?" Melita asked Alphonse.

"Yeah. Winry made Ed's automail all on her own."

"Impressive."

"If you don't mind… I kind of want to get this done as soon as possible. We have important business to take care of." Edward said.

"What kind of business?" She asked.

"That… doesn't really concern you…" Edward said as he looked away.

"You two seriously worry me… I sometimes wonder if you'll make it back alive…" Winry took notice of Melita.

"Sorry for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Winry." She smiled.

"I'm Melita."

"I hope these two aren't causing trouble for you."

"I haven't known them for long but I can already tell they're a handful." Melita chuckled.

"As expected."

"I'll prepare a meal. Please feel free to relax. You must be tired of traveling." Pinako walked into the kitchen.

"So… Winry… How long will it take?" Edward asked cautiously, careful not to poke the bear.

Winry counted her fingers, "If you want it done as soon as possible… I can get it done in three days. Though, I'll have to pull all-nighters…"

Melita felt strange as she sat in this home. She hadn't been to many houses with this sort of welcoming… Could this be what it means to have friends? Family?

Pinako had arranged rooms for the guests. Edward and Alphonse were to stay in one room while Armstrong slept in another. Melita would share Winry's room due to the fact that she'll be pulling all-nighters.

Melita sat awkwardly in Winry's room. She noticed a piece of metal hiding under her desk. She picked it up and looked at it. Melita checked the door to see if anyone approached.

Gently, she cut her finger. It had stung a little, but the pain was durable. She watched as blood seeped from the wound. There was an attempt of regeneration but it failed.

"Failed…?" Melita sucked on her finger. She was deep in thought. To think that Scar would damage her this badly… It looked like a regular punch, but it wasn't… Or perhaps he had hit a vital spot… This made Melita nervous. She cautiously walked to the bathroom. After locking the door, she took off her shirt. What the mirror reflected was not a lie. The mark on her chest was faded.

What could this mean…?


	13. Chapter 13

Melita sat outside of the Rockbell home along with Al. Armstong was chopping wood with his bare fists, a talent passed down the Armstrong family for generations.

"I haven't seen Edward since this morning," Armstong said.

"We went to go visit our mother," Alphonse said.

"Is that safe?" Armstrong asked.

"Yeah. It's a pretty peaceful town so nothing much happens."

"He's going to visit your mom?"

"We didn't tell you, did we?" Alphonse said. Melita looked at him, "She died when we were young."

"And your bodies?"

"We lost them trying to bring her back to life... We just... Wanted to see her smile again..."

"And now you're trying to restore your bodies," Melita said, "That's what you're going to Central for."

"Colonel Mustang recruited us to become state alchemists so that we can find better resources."

"I see."

"We've been meaning to ask. How is it that you can transmute without a transmutation circle, just like brother?"

"I don't know." Melita gave him an honest answer. It's something that came naturally to me since I was a kid."

"A kid?"

"I have been able to do alchemy my whole life."

"You didn't study any books or anything?"

"A few," Melita said. Melita was born with the ability to do alchemy. She was forced to read complicated books to understand the basic fundamentals of her gift.

"You must be really smart then!" Alphonse envied her.

"How does feel to be back home?"

"Although I can't move, it feels nice. Brings back memories." Alphonse said. Melita smiled.

Sometime throughout the day, Melita dozed off. She began dreaming of being in a dim room. She saw many people in white coats look down at her. In the blink of an eye, she was on the cold floor. Electricity sparked everywhere as there was a red glow. People began to scream. She began to cry. Suddenly, she was in the white room again. The white figured frowned when it saw her. After that, Melita woke up. She had seen that white room before… But those memories… were they hers? And if so… when did that happen…?

"Brother's back!" Alphonse pointed out. Melita sat up to find Edward limping back. Pinako had provided him a temporary leg while his was being repaired. It was sunset.

"Were you guys waiting for me?" Edward asked as he hopped up.

"Something like that."

"Come on guys, dinner is ready," Winry called out from the door.

.

.

.

The four sat at the dinner table with Alphonse sitting on the side. The friends had a warm conversation as Melita sat uncomfortably right beside them. She was out of place. A girl of her nature didn't belong there… She isn't like them. She isn't normal…

They had just finished when Winry and Melita noticed something. Edward hadn't touched his milk.

"You haven't touched your milk," They said simultaneously. The only difference was their tone. Melita sounded curious whereas Winry sounded angry.

Edward froze and looked down with a nervous expression.

"I hate milk…" He mumbled.

"Ugh! You're gonna be short forever if you don't drink your milk!"

"I don't need it! I'll find other ways of growing taller!" Edward shouted at her.

Alphonse sighed. Melita looked over.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. They're usually like this. Ed's never really liked milk. When we were younger we would have to trick him into drinking it by putting it in stew."

Melita chuckled.

After dinner, the boys went to their room. Melita remained in the living room. She was standing by the window.

"Would you like some coffee?" She looked behind her to find Winry there.

"Sure." The two girls sat back at the dinner table.

"You guys haven't told me how you met."

"We met on a train to East City. It was a bit crowded so we ended up standing together." Melita told her.

"So what got you mixed up with them and coming here?"

"Well… In the condition those two were in, I didn't really want to leave them. I mean Armstrong could be more than enough, but you just can't be too sure." Melita tried to hide the fact that he was being targeted by a serial killer.

"Those two really worry me. They left home when Ed was 12 and Al was 11… It's been… 2 years? They had their minds set when they did leave, though. Every day I pray that those two will come back."

"I'm sure they will. And when they do, they'll be happy and back to normal." Melita assured her.

"Enough about them, tell me more about yourself!" Winry sounded excited.

"There isn't much to tell," Melita said as she looked down at her cup of coffee, "I don't know where I was born or who were my parents. I was found in a laboratory. I was taken in by this elderly woman, but I don't consider her my family… After all, she is a stranger… I'm grateful to her in some ways… But I wouldn't devote my time to her… When I turned 12, I started traveling alone. The woman was fine with it. She would help me out financially as long as I returned to her. It's been three years since then and I haven't been back. I started making money by doing jobs for people I came across. Usually, it was fixing broken building or tools."

"So you were on your own this whole time…?" Winry sounded as though she was touched by her story.

"Pretty much."

"No friends?"

"None… If anything, I think Edward and Alphonse are my first friends."

Winry looked sad. She grabbed Melita's hands and held them up.

"Then make me one of your friends, too! No! Consider me your family! No one deserves to be alone."

Melita looked at her confused at first, then greeted her with a smile. There was a bell.

"Oh! I guess I should start fixing Ed's automail." Winry got up, "You should get some sleep."

"Good night, then." Melita smiled as she went up to her room. She was deep in thought. Did she really mean those words? What if Winry found out her true identity? She would be back at square one. Truth was, Melita did have some sort of family… but they hold up open arms to unpleasant things… It was true that she hadn't returned in three years, but they found their way to her during that time.

The next day, Winry worked her hardest without stopping for a break. Edward's leg was finished quickly. It was a little past noon when Winry ran to Edward.

"Finished!" She shouted.

They sat Edward down on a chair and prepared to reconnect his limbs. Pinako dealt with the leg while Winry was at the arm.

"Ready?"

"1."

"2." Edward gulped.

"3!"

In one go, the mechanics had reconnected the limbs. Edward felt a sharp pain spread throughout his body. It was followed by a relieved sigh. Pinako and Winry carefully moved him to the couch.

.

.

"Will he be okay?" Melita asked Pinako who sat in the dining room with Armstrong. They had left Edward in the other room to rest.

"It's painful when you connect automail to the nerves. A normal human would scream or cry at times like those, but this boy hasn't done either." Pinako took a huff of her pipe.

"He must be really strong then."

.

.

"Now be careful this time. I made the arm and leg lighter so it would be easier to move, but that means that it's gonna be as sturdy as the last one." Winry told him as she sat on the couch with him, "Be careful this time."

Edward got up, "Thanks, Winry!"

"Are you even listening! Hey!"

"You're fixed!" Melita looked at his new and improved automail as he walked into the dining room.

"Yep! Hey, Major. Can you help me move Al?"

.

.

Outside, Alphonse was sitting up on a blanket with his pieces piled up next to him. Then examined the size of the hole.

"We sure got lucky, huh, Al…" He looked at the inside of the armor, "Any closer and he could've taken out your seal."

"Seal?" Armstrong asked. Edward pointed to the inside of the armor. The two took a closer look. Inside was a sigil drawn in red.

"That's what keeps Al attached to this armor."

"It looks like it's written in blood," Melita said.

"It's my blood. I drew it pretty frantically."

"Oh!? What amazing brotherly love! Such an incredible bond!" Armstrong began to strip. Edward ignored this man.

Melita watched as this boy clapped his hands and gently touched the armor. The pieces reconstructed and completed the armor. In a matter of seconds, they were in good shape.

"Thank you, brother! I feel great!"

"Ready for a sparring match?" Edward asked.

"Sparring match?"

"Yeah. Our teacher taught us that we have to keep our bodies in shape as well as our minds. Though, I've never beaten Al once!"

"Ho-oh! Well, allow me to help you!" Armstrong flexed.

"No thanks."

The two began their match. Armstrong and Melita were spectators.

"Hey, you! Don't go breaking my automail so soon!" Winry shouted. The boys paid no heed, "Geez… Come on, Melita. Let's leave these fools to their fight."

Melita walked back into the house.

"I swear, those two are such children…" Winry sighed.

"Well, it is a form of training," Melita told her. Winry paused. She looked on the couch where Edward left his clothes. His pocket watch sat neatly on top of it all. Melita caught her smirk, "Winry…?"

Winry skipped over to the couch and picked it up, "Oh how I would love to take it apart and put it back together again!" Winry hummed, "The craftsmanship is so delicate and precise!"

"I don't think that's a good idea…"

Winry didn't listen. She forced it open. After she looked what was inside, she became sad.

"Winry? What's wrong?" Melita walked up. The inside of the watch was engraved… No… More like carved. It said, "Don't forget 3. Oct. 10"

"A date?" Melita asked. Winry closed it, "What does it mean?"

"It was… the day…"

.

.

.

Winry looked out the window. It was getting dark and dinner was set. The four had gone out.

.

.

.

The group stood in front of what used to be a house. All that remained were burnt pieces of wood. Alphonse walked through the wood.

"This used to be the living room. The fireplace used to be here. I remember Ed always trying to skip cutting wood."

"Yeah…"

The sight made Melita feel sad.

"It was… the day… they burnt their house down and left…" Winry said.

"This used to be your house?"

"Yeah. Since we had no family left, we decided to burn it. Having no home to return to, we would keep searching for a way to restore our bodies." Edward told her.

"But you do have a home," Armstrong said, "And you have two family members waiting."

They turned to Armstrong who smiled.

On their way back, they reminisced about their childhood. Their mother would flash a lantern from the second-floor window when it would get late. No matter where they were, they knew it was time to go home.

The group noticed a flash of light ahead of them. It was coming from the second-floor balcony. Winry was waiting for them. Alphonse got excited and ran towards the house.

"A home where family waits for us, huh?" Edward smiled as he spoke.

.

.

.

It was early dawn the next morning when the travelers decided to head out. Winry was half asleep.

"Be sure to come back soon, you hear?" Pinako said.

"Yeah."

"And take care of yourselves."

"Melita, you're welcome back anytime." Winry smiled.

"Yeah." Melita smiled back.

After bidding farewell, the two watched their backs shrink in the distance.

"Hey, granny… Ed's pocket watch." Winry told her, "He engraved the day they burned their house down and left."

"Those fools will never understand that they have a home here waiting for them," Pinako said.

"I guess you're right."


	14. Chapter 14

"We're here!" Edward stretched as he got off the train.

"Major Armstrong!" Called out a voice. Two military officers waited for him, a male and a female.

"We're here to take over your duties." Said the female.

"Second Lieutenant Ross, Sergeant Brosh, good to see you."

"Ah? Are you the Fullmetal Alchemist?" Asked Brosh.

"I'm Maria Ross! It's an honor to meet you!" The woman had short black hair and blue eyes.

"I'm Denny Brosh!" The male officer had dirty blond hair and blue eyes. They crowded Alphonse.

Edward sulked as the officers had mistaken his younger brother as the Fullmetal Alchemist. After apologizing, Armstrong decided to bid them farewell.

"They can take it from here."

"What? I still have to have escorts?" Edward complained.

"Of course!"

"According to East HQ's report, Scar has yet to be apprehended, and until the situation settles down, we shall act as your escorts. While we are not as capable as the major ,we have confidence in our abilities, so please rest easy."

"Jeez… This is such a pain!"

"Edward! Don't be like that!" Melita scolded him, but he didn't care.

"I just hope you guys don't slow me down."

"Ed!" He started walking when the officer remembered he had a car waiting, he ran on ahead.

"I have a car waiting for us!"

"We're sorry." The two apologized to second Lt. Ross, "He's usually like that, please don't let it bother you, he's just in a rush."

"In a rush…" Ross looked down. In the car, she explained the who the whole situation, "Last night, the first branch was all but completely lost due to a fire."

When they arrived, the three couldn't believe their eyes.

"According to eyewitness reports, it seems that Scar had provoked the fire."

Melita looked at the ruins. Was it really scar who destroyed this place? No. This had Lust written all over it. She watched as Edward tried to pick up a burnt book, but it fell apart in his fingers.

"Our biggest lead is gone now…" Edward said.

What was it that Edward wanted that Lust yearned for even more?

The group ended up going to the Central Library's main building.

"We've been searching since this morning but all we were able to recover were these books." A man had two small creates with slightly burned books in it. Edward picked up a book but a title was burnt.

A woman came up. She read off a file.

"There aren't any books authored by Tim Marcoh in the main building, "If they had been moved there from the branch, there should be record of it."

"Was there any possibility that it was checked out by someone?"

"There could be, but the circulation records were also burnt up…"

"If only we could have confirmed that his book was really even in there…" Edward thought for a moment, "Was there anyone else that worked there?"

"We were the only two people on staff in that branch." She said.

Edward was a bit surprised, "Only you two?"

She continued to explain, "Only State Alchemists were permitted in the branch, so not many people would go in on a daily basis."

"How about people who've worked there before?"

"There was a girl who was fired a while back." The man answered his question.

"You mean Sheska? She was a bookworm and spent most of her time reading rather than working."

.

.

.

Melita followed the group to a two story house. They knocked but no one answered.

"Miss Sheska?" Lt. Ross called. No response. They tried to open the door. It was rather difficult. They managed to open it wide enough to take a peek inside. There were mountains and mountains of books.

"Does someone actually live here?"

"Miss Sheska? Are you here?" They called out again.

"She's not home?" Melita said.

"Help…" They heard a muffled voice, "Help…!"

The group began to freak out. They rushed in to try to dig her out of a high pile of books.

Lt. Ross and Melita carried neat stacks of books away while the boys recklessly picked them out.

"Gah!" They were crushed under more books.

After some time, they managed to dig Sheska out, a young lady who wore large glasses. After thanking them, Sheska told them of her painful experience.

Edward interrupted, "Did you used to work in the Central's first branch library?"

"Oh yeah! I got fired for reading too much…"

"Was there a hand-written book by Tim Marcoh?"

"Hmmm… Oh yeah! It had a leather cover and it was handwritten. I thought it didn't belong there."

Edward was happy, but soon he was drained of happiness when they realized the building was burnt down.

They rushed back to the ruins. Edward was going to attempt to reconstruct the ashes that were piled up together. Brosh doubted the idea. There was a strong gust of wind. It blew away the ashes.

"Is that okay?" Brosh asked. Edward sulked.

"If you really need that book, then I can rewrite it for you. It's a strange talent of mine. I can rewrite books I have read, word for word and precisely.

"You can do that?!"

"Give me three days!"

That night, Edward, Alphonse, and Melita were given a room for three on Military Campus. Lt. Ross and Sergeant Brosh would not allow the three to have separate rooms. It would be much much easier to protect the two. Melita didn't mind sharing a room with the two.

Melita grew worried about her mark, though. But she was in Central, she could just go tell Wrath about it! She dismissed the thought the moment she realized she shared a room with the Elrics. On top of that, they're guarding their room. So much for that…

Three days passed and Sheska completed the books. When the group found her, she had a table full of notes.

"It took me three whole days." They took a look at the notes.

"Tim Marcoh's 1000 Recipies for Today's Menus!"

The officers along with Melita were confused.

"Are you sure this is it? It's not written by someone else?"

"I'm sure it was by Tim Marcoh?" Brosh asked.

"And these are his exact notes?" Edward asked.

"Yes, I'm sure!"

"Thanks, Sheska!" Alphonse picked up a small pile and handed it to Melita. He himself picked up a larger pile.

Edward handed a piece of paper to Sergeant Brosh, "Please go to to the State Alchemist Services with my references, there, please withdraw that amount and give it to Sheska."

Edward picked up a few notes and headed out. The two followed. Ross ran after them.

"Where do you think you're going?!" She stopped them.

"We're going to the Central Library. There's a lot of reference materials we can use."

"You can't mean it! We still don't know where Scar could be hiding. We can't properly protect you in such a high-traffic area!"

"Then go report to your superiors or something. This is our problem!" Edward said. He walked passed her.

"We finally found a lead." Alphonse said before following him. Melita was left.

"You have to understand how much this means to them, Lt. Ross…" Melita said, "They're desperate for a lead. Even a small clue would do wonders for them."

.

.

.

"Marcoh's research journal… The secret to the Philosopher's stone is written here…" Edward and Alphonse stood before a table.

"But they're just recipes."

"Come to think of it… aren't you an alchemist?" Edward asked her.

"Yeah…"

"Then you should know that such information as this can be misused if easily exposed. So it's encoded." Edward said, "They do say that alchemy was born in the kitchen, after all. Are you going to help us?"

"… Don't expect much from me…" Melita said. Edward told her and Alphonse what their objective was and what to try to decipher. Soon enough, they had picked out sources and begun to decode them.

Outside, Lt. Ross was peeking in at them. She held her gun in her hand. She heard a snort and jumped. It was only Lt. Brosh who was taking a nap.

It was already late when Edward gave in.

"Here I thought I could solve it right away…" He rested his head on the table. Melita had done the same much earlier than him. Alphonse was beginning to gloom.

"It would be better to ask Marcoh directly," Alphonse suggested.

"No… He gave up this research a long time ago… He wouldn't be very reliable." Edward said.

The doors burst open.

"Yo, Ed, Al, Little Miss!" They lifted their heads to find Maes Hughes walk in.

"Lt. Colonel! What's the deal? We haven't seen you around at all!" Edward greeted him.

"It's Scar. He has us running around hopelessly. Looks like you're both all fixed up. I hope you're doing well, too, Little Miss, running around with these two."

"Uh, yeah."

The two officers peeked in with curiosity. Lt. Ross marched in very cross. She saluted Hughes.

"Excuse me, Lt. Colonel Hughes. If anything were to happen here, we could not ensure the safety of these three. They should return to Command Center."

"I told you to leave us alone!"

"As long as we don't know where Scar is, we can't get too comfortable."

"Hmm… You have a point… However, I can't make the call on my own authority. Why don't you ask Major Armstrong?"

"No! Anyone but him!" Edward and Ross panicked. They stopped. Ross cleared her throat.

"Just give me a bit more time, please," Edward begged.

"I'm running behind Scar that I don't know where to turn. Having him burn down the branch is troublesome. We had some important files in there…"

"First branch…" Edward smirked, "I got just the thing for you. They cleaned up a bit and headed over to Sheska's house. She was recruited by Hughes to be part of his Military's Martial Office. With this, Edward was given more time and the security of more men. This made Lt. Ross cross, but she could not go against it.

The three went into the library again the next day. It was almost closing time when the officers sighed in exhaustion.

"Why don't they just give up?" Brosh asked.

"They're not the type who would to that."

"To hell with this!" They heard Edward shout. This startled the two officers. Ross took a peek and overheard.

"To think that the main ingredient for a philosopher's stone would be a human life…" Edward pounded the table. Melita looked repulsed and worried.

This also worried Lt. Ross.

Melita was sick to her stomach. She never questioned it… The countless philosopher's stone she had handled was becoming unbearable…


	15. Chapter 15

"To think that the main ingredient of a Philosopher's Stone would be human lives…" Edward growled, "After searching for so… so… long…"

Melita didn't say a word.

.

.

.

The group had returned to their room located on Central's Military Campus.

Edward laid on the couch as Alphonse sat behind it. Melita sat on her bed. None of them had spoken a word since they returned. The sun was illuminating a toasted orange into their room.

"God must really hate us…" Edward said finally, "Just when we had the answer within our grasp…" He lifted up his automail, "Our legs get taken out…" He closed his fist.

He then said, "Is this going to happen for our whole lives? I thought that the Philosopher's Stone would be able to grant our wish…"

"We'll find something! We've been mistreated for so long up until now… We can't just take that without getting what we suffered for, can we?" Alphonse said desperately, "So… I'm sure… We'll find something…"

Melita didn't say a word. A few hours passed and night had fallen.

"We didn't get to hear your say in all this," Edward said. He had remained on the couch.

Melita was now looking outside.

"What do you want from me?" Melita asked as though his very presence annoyed her, "What can I say? This sort of thing shouldn't even exist."

Alphonse was picking up the papers.

"What if we reread this? Do it over again?" Alphonse said as he stacked the papers together, "Maybe we missed something…"

"Enough, Al," Edward said.

Alphonse was careful not to touch the tea cup that sat on the table.

"Perhaps we misread something…"

"I said enough."

"Maybe this was just something we made up…"

"I said enough, Al!" Edward sat up and swatted the teacup. It hit Alphonse. This startled all of them, including Edward himself. There was a long pause. Lt. Ross and Sgt. Brosh busted in.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't even want to see you right now." Edward was about to lay back on the couch when Melita grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up, "Let go."

"Is this really what's going to break you? Finding this truth out?" Melita asked, "You two may be brothers but you're nothing alike. He's still hopeful. Just because you're in a foul mood is no reason for you to lash out on him."

"Let go." Edward became serious. The others were too afraid to move. It was almost as if they could kill each other then and there.

"Even so… You share one dream. You want to restore your bodies by any means necessary. Then do it. Once a Philosopher's Stone has been created it can never be taken apart." Melita's expression was a fearful one, full of regrets she wishes she never had.

"That's enough you two." Sgt. Brosh said.

Lt. Ross looked at the mess of papers on the floor. She picked them up.

"It must be hard to find out the truth…" Ross said, "It was rude of me to listen in, but I know that humans are used to create Philosopher's Stones."

Edward and Melita flinched. Sgt. Brosh shuddered.

"But it's true. Just because you lost hope in one method doesn't mean there aren't any others. You two need to clear your heads and think clearly. I would find it hard to believe that you would allow yourself to give up so easily."

Melita let go of Edward who sunk onto the couch.

"Leave us alone," Edward growled.

"I guess you are a child after all."

"Hey!"

"There must be a meaning behind everything. This is no exception." Lt. Ross returned the papers to Edward, "How about it, Edward?"

Edward took a look at the notes.

"The truth behind the truth…" Edward realized, "That's it!"

Melita sighed in relief.

After settling in, they had pulled out a map of Central.

"Marcoh told me to uncover the truth behind the truth. We managed to find one thing, and that's the key ingredient for a Philosopher's Stone. It's just a hunch… But for something like Marcoh's research to is hidden and burnt away in a military base must mean something…"

"There are currently 4 active laboratories in Central. Doctor Marcoh was assigned to the 3rd."

"I've been to all of these laboratories and none of them had any remarkable research going on."

"What about this one?" Melita pointed to the 5th laboratory.

"It used to be the 5th laboratory in the past. Now it's been shut down. It was made off limits as are there is a risk of it collapsing." Brosh explained.

"It should be there," Edward said. He pointed right next to the lab. It was a prison, "There's a prison right next to it. A place full of criminals. Some who are expected to go on death row…"

"Then that means…"

"Those that are recorded as executed are sacrificed to make a Philosopher's Stone," Melita concluded. Edward circled the 5th laboratory.

"Who was in charge of this laboratory?" Edward asked.

The two officers hesitated, "It would have been Brig. Gen. Basque Grand. But he was killed by Scar some time ago."

This new information had surprised the three of them.

"We have no choice." Edward stood up, "We won't know unless we take a look around.

"W-wait!" Lt. Ross stopped him, "This should be left to us. I mean, Scar is still after you and that could pose a greater risk. Please. Let us investigate of you."

Edward was surprised. He wasn't left with much of a choice, "Fine. I'll leave it to you. If anything comes up, please report back to me."

They wrapped up their discussion and the two officers were on their way.

There was silence.

"I'm sorry, Melita," Edward said, "For having you learn all this."

"I guess I would've found out eventually." Melita sighed as she sat on her bed.

"Also… We're gonna have to leave you behind."

"Leave me behind?" Melita asked. She watched Edward transmute a rope out of a blanket, "Don't tell me you're actually going!?"

He tied the rope to the bed and opened the window.

"We have to. We won't accept anything that we haven't seen with our own eyes." Edward said, "Plus… If it's too quiet in here, they might suspect something."

Edward put on his shirt and headed out with Alphonse.

"See ya!"

"Wait!" Melita rushed to the window but the two had already run off, "I wasn't even given an option…"

What now? She was in Central now. She had the most reliable person close. No... First she had to get some questions answered... And Lust knew those answers.

Melita locked the door and slipped out of the window. She ran into the night.

.

.

.

"That boy could grant us what we want." Lust said.

"Is it really that important?" Asked a voice from the shadows. Melita walked in. Envy, Lust, and Gluttony were gathered by a lamp inside of a clock tower.

"Ah! You're back." Envy said, "How'd it go?"

"... If I said well I would be lying."

"Whats wrong?" Lust asked her.

Melita couldn't find the courage to tell them anything. Where to begin? The fact that her ability to regenerate has declined or the fact that humans are killed for the sake of the Philosopher's Stone?

"If you're here that means that they're already headed for the Fifth Laboratory."

"... Yes..." Melita said.

Envy got up and patted her head. He smiled, "Good job, kid. Let's go. We got one more job for you, and its a big one!"

.

.

.

The two walked down the hall of the Fifth Laboratory.

"Now we just have to wait for Envy to get back then we can start." Lust said. Melita didn't say a word, "It's been a while since we last did this."

"Lust!" Gluttony called out. Lust and Melita looked ahead only to find the floor had been destroyed. Underneath was something similar to a basement.

"What's this?" The two were surprised.

"It's him…! It's him…!" Gluttony said.

"Him? You don't mean…"

"Greed." Lust turned to Melita, "Go find him. Make sure there isn't any other intrusion."

Melita hesitated then headed out. She had a bad feeling about all of this. On top of that… If she runs into Greed, he'll kill her… and once that happens, there's no coming back. She came upon a room where the cells had been opened.

"He was here…?" Melita asked herself.

"What are you doing in here?" Asked a voice.

Melita looked behind her. Basque Grand towered over her. Melita fell for the trick at first but then realized it was Envy.

"Quit it, Envy," Melita said.

The man held a stern face but then laughed it off, "Come on, time for your job! Now do exactly as I tell you."

.

.

Melita was able to see a room that was flooded with red light. Basque Grand pushed her aside and said, "As Brigadier General, also being in charge of this facility, I order you to do as you're told."

"You're kidding right?" Melita heard Edward's voice, "Basque Grand is dead."

Envy smirked. He transformed back to his normal form. He held tightly onto her tied hands behind her.

"Then would you do it for what's at stake?" Envy asked. He pulled Melita into the room. Both Edward and Melita could not believe their eyes.

Melita saw an exhausted Edward, tired of pursuing this truth. He was slowly becoming pale. Any more and he would appear dead.

"Melita…" Edward frowned.

"I'm amazed you made it down here, pipsqueak." Envy said. Edward became agitated. Edward was about to attack him when he was stopped by Lust. Her sharp finger was right next to Melita's neck. Edward looked over to find her holding Slicer's helmet.

"I assume you don't want this situation to get worse, am I right? Could you be a good boy and do as your told. We've had a few changes but that shouldn't matter."

"You mean to use them as a sacrifice?" Edward asked, "It was all planned?"

Melita wasn't fully aware of what they were talking about until she heard footsteps. There were many prisoners with them. That's when she paid closer attention. The walls were all glass. There were large tubes set up around a transmutation circle. The same red liquid that was in the walls was in the tubes. There was a hole in the ceiling, from where the prisoners fell from. Melita more or less understood the situation.

"There's no way for you to say no." Lust added. Gluttony came in and dragged in a limbless suit of armor, Alphonse.

Melita was getting frustrated. This was getting out of hand, those three had crossed the line.

Gluttony tossed Alphonse over. Edward watched in horror.

"Brother…" Alphonse said, "These guys are homunculi…"

Edward could not handle any more of this. These beings were perfectly created humans.

"Hurry up and do it already!" Envy urged, "Fix up the goddamn ceiling!"

"You see our problem? We cannot use alchemy. So we have to ask someone else to do it."

"If you can't use alchemy then whats the whole point?" Edward asked, "Is it power you want?"

Lust shook her head, "We want to be human."

This was unheard of. Melita was not aware of this. Is their wish truly to be human?

"If you're really Homunculi, then there must be someone who created you. Even if they were to use the Philosopher's Stone…"

"Ngh!" Envy was tightening his grip on Melita's arm. He was coming to the point of actually breaking it.

"We weren't created by anyone! We were born!"

"Envy." Lust shot a glare at him. He eased his grip, "All we can do is hand you hints about the Philosopher's Stone, leading those who desire the stone to someday complete it."

"Hold on… were you the ones who taught Mugiar how to use the red water?" Edward asked them, "And gave Cornello that fake stone?"

"It wasn't necessarily us." Envy smirked. Melita worried, would he betray her and blow her cover? "But by doing so, you fools who held an interest in the Philosopher's Stone would gather around. Then we found you."

"… We weren't brought here by anyone but ourselves…" Edward said.

"When you think about it, it's equivalent exchange. We teach you how to make the stone and you turn us human."

"…"

"You don't have a choice." Lust opened slicer's helmet. She scratched off his seal. Edward watched in horror was the soul was released. She was about to remove Alphonse's helmet when she was stopped.

"Fine, I'll do it!"

"Brother!" Alphonse shouted, "Don't!"

Edward moved his left-hand to his limp right. He touched the ground, slowly the ceiling was repaired and the rubble disappeared. Gluttony pushed the men into the circle.

"Brother!"

Melita couldn't say anything, then Envy whispered, "After this you won't have to hang around those brats any longer."

Edward clapped his hands once more. He was about to touch the transmutation circle when he paused then stopped.

"I'm sorry, guys… I can't do it…"

Blood splattered onto the ground. Edward was careful to turn around. He didn't like what he saw. Lust had made a deep cut into the side of Melita's neck.

"Ah?" Envy let her go and the body fell, "Lust, I think you went too far."

"If you make the stone then you'll be able to heal her. Now, hurry up!"

There was a crash. The ceiling Edward had just fixed broke. Glass shattered and one of the tubes had spilled. Red water surrounded Edward. Scar stood above them.

"Hurry and take those two out of here," He said.

"What is he doing here!?" Envy hissed. Edward got up. Envy was about to attack him when a sharp pillar went right through him. The same went for Lust.

They looked over to find Melita's hand on the ground. Blood gushing out of the wound and slowly seeping out of her mouth, she was breathing heavily.

"Sloth, you bitch!" Envy screamed.

' _Hurry and get out…_ ' Melita hoped. Edward was about to run when he came in contact with the red water.

An immense light engulfed the room. The red water was consuming Edward's soul.

"Being exposed to this much red water at once!" Lust carefully observed, "He'll become a god!"

Melita transmuted again, this time, she cracked the ground underneath them. The water had begun to drain.

Melita nor Alphonse could do anything about Edward in his state. There were footsteps. People were shouting.

Slowly, Melita lost consciousness. Was she going to die now? What happened next, she didn't know. She just wanted to sleep…


	16. Chapter 16

Edward slowly opened his eyes.

"Edward, you're awake!" Sgt. Brosh said. Edward looked over to find both Sgt. Brosh and Lt. Ross standing there.

"Thank goodness… Are you feeling okay?" Lt. Ross asked.

"I guess…" Edward paused. He quickly sat up, but flinched in pain due to his injuries, "Where's Al?"

He looked around the room and found him sitting in a corner behind Sgt. Brosh.

At first, Edward was relieved, but then he became upset. The condition his brother was in was not good. Alphonse was missing his arms and legs. The holes were pretty large.

"Sorry, Al… Looks like you've been carved out again…" Edward said. "I'll promise, I'll fix you as soon as I can."

"Yeah…" Alphonse answered in a distracted tone. Edward became suspicious.

"That was quite the stir up you made, sir…" Sgt. Brosh said, "What happened to you in the fifth lab?"

"Nothing much." Edward answered.

"Nothing much!? You three were seriously injured!" Sgt. Brosh protested.

"Come on, I've had worse… I was just one step away from finally getting the truth…" Edward sighed. Lt. Ross frowned, "Next time, I swear I won't fail."

"Edward, sir." Lt. Ross said so formally, "I apologize in advance for this."

Edward became confused. Apologize for what? Lt. Ross raised her hand and brought it across Edward's face, slapping him hard. This startled Brosh and Alphonse.

"You nearly died and put both Alphonse and Melita at risk!" Edward was at a loss for words, "You have to remember that you're still a child! You have to put more trust in adults… My conduct was improper for a low ranking officer, sir. Forgive me."

Brosh couldn't do much, so he apologized as well.

"No… You have a point… I'm the one who should be sorry…"

There was a long pause before Edward spoke.

"You said there were three of us?"

Sgt. Brosh looked at him, "Don't tell me you forgot about Miss Melita… Oof!"

Lt. Ross elbowed him very hard in the ribs.

Edward remembered it was Melita who stopped the homunculi and it was Melita who was nearly killed… As far as he was aware of...

"Melita! Where is she?!" Edward became anxious.

"She's… resting in the other room. The doctors say she'll be okay." Lt. Ross said in her most positive voice, "Just let her rest."

A few moments later, Edward got up and looked for a phone. He dialed a number.

"Hey, Winry…" Edward said, "My automail is messed up again…"

He listened then responded, "What's about right…? Well… I'm in a bit of a fix and I can't really go to Resembool, so can you come out to Central? Okay, thanks. I'll call you later about the details…"

He hung up. Edward sighed. He was on his way back to his room when he noticed Lt. Ross and Sgt. Brosh talking to a nurse. He waited until the nurse left. Sgt. Brosh spotted Edward.

"Edward…" Lt. Ross looked over to find Edward walking up to them.

"What is it?" Edward asked sternly.

"Well…" Sgt. Brosh hesitated.

.

Edward opened the door.

"Wait, Edward!"

Inside was a girl with pale skin sitting on the bed. Her hair was longer than it usually was. Edward was able to see the bandages on her neck. There was a bruise on her arm and burns on her wrists.

She looked up at the boy who had just walked in.

"H… Hey…" Edward said carefully. This did not seem like the Melita he knew. This girl did not smile like the Melita. This girl did not seem like the girl he met that day on the train. This girl was not Melita. In fact, her eyes had become a darker shade, as if the presence of the red was slowly leaving. No, this girl had no life in her…

She asked, "Who are you?"


	17. Chapter 17

"Who are you?" Melita asked Edward.

"You… Don't remember me?" Edward was a little thrown off.

"I'm sorry… Am I suppose to remember you?" She said.

"…." Edward was in shock, "We're friends… You… Me… and Alphonse…"

Melita thought very deeply, "I'm sorry, I can't remember…"

"Ah…" Edward lost hope, "I guess that's okay… You should remember eventually… Sorry to have bothered you…"

Melita watched Edward leave. He closed the door behind him.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Edward asked Sgt. Brosh and Lt. Ross.

"You had just regained consciousness and after what happened last night, it would've been a lot of stress on you." Lt. Ross said.

.

.

.

The next day, Winry got off a train. She carried a tool box with her.

"Ed said I would recognize it when I got here but…"

"Miss Winry!" Shouted a voice. It was familiar. She looked over to find Major Armstrong standing out.

"That's what he meant…" She ran up to him.

.

.

.

Melita sat in her room. Her mind was full of thoughts. Who was she…? Where did she come from? Who was that boy?

In the other room, Winry dropped her toolbox.

"Ed! You didn't tell me you were in the hospital!"

Edward awkwardly looked away as he slightly chuckled, "Yeah, well, one thing led to another…"

"It's nothing to laugh about…" Winry said sternly. Edward looked at her in confusion, "I didn't do the maintenance correctly… And now, this is my fault."

"What!? No way this could've been your fault, right Al?"

They looked over to the lump of armor in the corner who responded with a yes.

"See? Even Al agrees with me! I was being reckless again. It was bound to jam up sometimes." He touched his automail arm, "If it hadn't busted when it did it could've gotten a whole lot worse!"

Winry smirked. She then laughed, "Right! It was really your fault! A reckless klutz, really!"

Edward frowned, "Hey."

.

.

.

Melita heard voices in the room next to hers. It was quite lively in there compared to her empty room. The door opened. Lt. Ross came in.

"I came to check up on you," She said. Melita didn't respond. She watched as Lt. Ross walked towards the window and looked outside, "So they tell me that you lost your memory… To be honest, I thought Lust had gone a little too far… Had you behaved, then you wouldn't be here right now, now would you?"

Lust? Behaved? What was she talking about!?

"W… What?"

"You know, piercing me with that spear really hurt." Lt. Ross touched her chest, "She wouldn't like to find out that you've betrayed us, Sloth."

Lt. Ross looked over at the overwhelmed Melita. She dug something out of her pocket. It was a red stone.

"I'm sure this will bring something back." Melita stared at the stone. When she did, a sharp pain pierced her head. Memories of a woman flooded into her head.

"There we go." Lt. Ross said. Melita glared at this person, "We're going back, Sloth. Whether you like it or not."

Melita was about to run out of the room when Lt. Ross grabbed her foot. Melita fell while Ross climbed onto her.

"G… Get… off me…" She tried to say. Lt. Ross and put her hands around her throat. She couldn't breathe. The wound on her neck had begun to hurt. She felt it reopen as blood oozed out of the wound and dripped onto the floor.

Melita clapped her hands, but before she was able to transmute…

.

.

.

It was already the afternoon when Winry scolded Edward about his milk habit. Alphonse then complained about how he didn't wish for such a body. Edward apologized. It became awfully quiet.

"What's with you guys… Are you fighting? I've never seen you two like this." Winry asked. Edward didn't answer. Winry frowned, "You two are always like this.. you never tell me anything. I'm standing here worrying about you guys yet you don't tell me anything! It's always secrets between you two!"

Silence followed. Winry frowned as she was at the point of tears and ran out of the room.

Hughes poked his head into the tension-filled room and said, "I'll take care of Miss Winry here so don't worry!"

Edward sighed as he looked outside. The door opened. Edward saw Lt. Ross standing there with a regret written on her face.

.

Edward stood at the door of Melita's room.

Edward couldn't believe what he was seeing, or… what he wasn't… The room was empty. The bed looked messy and there were a few drops of blood on the floor. The window was wide open.

"Melita…?" Edward gasped.


	18. Chapter 18

"You're a good child, Melita. My sweet, sweet child." Said a female voice.

It was late at night inside an old mansion surrounded by countless trees. It seemed to have been untouched by society.

"My lovely, lovely, Melita…" She hummed. A girl in her late teens sat in a room with a large window sitting next to her. The light from the moon flooded the room.

"You're a good child." Melita sat on the floor as she rested her head on this girl's lap. Gently, she stroked her hair, "Soon, Greed will get here and you'll witness what happens when you betray the one who creates you. But it's alright, little one, you will not meet the same fate as them."

There was a loud thud coming from the grand hall.

"Oh, he's here. Wait patiently."

.

.

.

How many day's had passed since she had returned…? It's felt like forever. She's had this feeling of exhaustion ever since she's returned, almost as if she lacked the motivation to live.

Melita heard the door open. She looked over at the door with her dull red eyes to find a man standing there in a leather jacket. Greed.

"What's a kid like you doing here? Where's Dante?" He asked. He looked at her closely. She was dressed in a black crop top and black skirt. Greed's eyes opened wide when he saw the ouroboros tattoo over her left breast, right above the heart, "You're…"

"Welcome, Greed." Greed flinched. He surveyed the room to find the girl standing in the middle of the room, "I assume you're wanting to see your creation."

"How would you know…?"

"My mistress foretold this," She answered.

Greed began to walk when he stopped. Before him was a table with bones on it… his bones… Greed found it difficult to breathe. He glanced over to the corner of the room to find an elderly woman on the flood ripped in half, the one previously known as Dante.

"You're…!" He began coughing out philosopher's stones. He stood under a transmutation circle.

"Come, Melita." The girl called. Greed watched Melita walk around him and pursue the girl.

"That girl… Who is she!?" Greed shouted.

"Oh right, you don't know. The one you knew as Sloth died the same way you are going to." She responded, "She has recently taken his place as Sloth though she is very special. Go on, show your older brother what you can do."

Melita nodded her head. She clapped her hands and touched the ground. A sharp stone rose and pierced his stomach, more Philosopher's stones emerged from his mouth. The ones that were exposed melted into red water.

"How!?" Greed coughed out blood as well. He broke the stone, "She's a homunculus! She shouldn't be able to use alchemy!"

"I did say she was special. You see… This girl is still very much alive. She still has her bones within her." Greed couldn't believe this. It wasn't possible!

"Come now, child." The girl grabbed Melita's hand and pulled her away. By this, Greed was slowly regaining his strength, though it wasn't much.

.

.

Edward found Greed half dead. After accusing him of killing the elderly woman, Dante, they engaged in combat. Though, this time around, Greed was much, much weaker. Eventually, he gave up. Edward managed to pierce his heart with his blade. Greed fell to his knees and coughed up blood.

"Al, where is he?" Edward asked this dying man.

"He's in the woods… I let him go."

"We homunculi… We're born when an alchemist tries to recreate life… We are weakened whenever we come close to the remains of whoever it was the Alchemist tried to resurrect… That's a homunculi's weak point. That's how we can be killed, understand?" Greed said, "Then when that time comes, we can't come back…"

"Why are you telling me this?" Edward asked him.

"Defeat them, Ed… 140 years… I've been sealed up for 140 years… You can't let them stay in control."

"But they're just like you."

"I'm greedy as hell, only out for myself… That damned woman always said it would be the death of me…" Large amounts of blood spurted out of his mouth. Greed collapsed.

"H… Hey!"

"They pull the strings… Now, cut them… Save her… The one they call Sloth… It's not too late… You can… do it…" Then, he took his last breath. Slowly, this once immortal man turned to ashes. Edward was lost. He sat there as his mind tried to process it all. Back in the fifth laboratory, Envy screamed 'Sloth.' Edward never gave much thought as to who he referred to. Who is this Sloth? The only other person who was there at the time was… Melita...!

It's been several weeks since she disappeared from the hospital that day. The few drops of blood on the floor didn't give Edward enough clues to pursue her. It did tell her one thing, though… She was forced...

Edward glanced up at the second floor. For a second, he thought he saw two red eyes… Was it his imagination…?


	19. Chapter 19

"Funny… I hear Greed finally bit the big one." Envy said. He and Lust sat in a booth of an empty shop. Gluttony was chewing on the table.

"Indeed… And in a sense, his death suited him in the most perfect way. Violence so intense, it bordered on the beautiful."

"Ed can murder us all he wants, you-know-who will just replace us… Speaking of, Sloth had been sent to relocate Pride. Just think of the possibilities it'll present." Envy looked over at Lust who seemed distracted, "Is something wrong? Don't let this get to you. Greed was swear, so he died, end of story."

"It's not that… Have you ever wondered where we come from… Or where we go after we're dead?"

Envy chuckled, "You're a mess."

"Sorry, folks… But if you don't mind, I'm just about to close up shop here." A large man walked up to them, the owner.

"Do what you will, but we're not leaving." Envy responded.

"Oh, you're not, huh?"

"We've grown to like it here, tubs… I think we'll be staying." The man way about to argue back when Envy stabbed him with a knife. He pulled it out then said, "Lousy service."

Gluttony hopped up, "Can I eat him, can I eat him!?"

"We did skip dessert." Without hesitation, Gluttony began devouring the man. Envy began walking out, "Well, see you outside."

Lust was very distracted. Every second of peace she got, the thought kept popping into her mind. Where did she come from and where will she go?

.

.

.

Melita got off the train. She has covered her attire with a coat. Instead of waiting for the next one, she wandered into the woods... Almost as if something was calling her. There she met a man leaning against a tree. He seemed peaceful, this man. It's almost as if he was one with nature.

The man took notice of this puppet. He sighed, "You look miserable and pathetic. Almost as if you had no soul at all."

Melita couldn't respond. How could she? She _was_ deprived of her soul.

He noticed something peeking out from her coat. He recognized it, the ouroboros tattoo. This man stood up and step forward.

"You're a homunculus," He said in a serious tone, "But at the same time you're not. Could it be that you've come to me for help?"

That's right. Melita wanted to think for herself. She wanted to speak. The puppet nodded. The man touched the tattoo. It went dark…

.

.

.

Melita found herself staring at a stone door in a vast space of nothingness. It towered over her greatly.

"You've returned, alchemist." She heard a voice say. She turned around to find a red female figure standing there. The red seemed like it was a cloth.

"Who are you?"

"You don't remember?" She said, "Oh right, last time you were here you were only a baby, only a couple hours old."

A couple hours old? How did this thing know about her?

"I'm guessing you don't know? The people who gave birth to you tried to create a human philosopher's stone out of you. They wanted to attach it to a vessel. It resulted in their lives, but they succeeded."

"I'm… I'm a philosopher's stone…?"


	20. Chapter 20

"I'm a… I'm a philosopher's stone…?"

She nodded. She then pointed to Melita's eyes.

"You never did question the color of your eyes. The similarity between that shade of red and color of the philosopher's stone cannot go unnoticed. Have you ever questioned why you are able to transmute without a transmutation circle?"

Melita shook her head.

"Its because you paid the toll in exchange for all knowledge."

Melita turned around and stared at the gate.

"What... Did I pay if I was so young...?"

"Your mortality."

Melita turned around just as the gate opened. Black hands reached out to her and pulled her in...

.

.

.

Melita woke up. Night had fallen. The man was nowhere to be seen. She touched her chest. The ouroboros tattoo had become a singular black circle.

"A philosopher's stone..." She whispered.

.

.

.

.

Melita walked into Dante's old mansion. She walked into a room. It smelled like rotten flesh. She could see a faint glow on a table. Those were philosophers stones... She saw a disfigured corpse. Bones stuck out of it.

Melita was repulsed at the sight. She looked at it. It had patches of skin growing. This was another failed human transmutation.

Melita realized it was going to be the next Greed...

Melita clapped her hands and set them on the ground. She walked out of the room and lit a match. She threw it in and closed the door. It was a few seconds before the room burst into flames. The corpse screamed.

Melita began to walk away when she screamed a name, Edward. She flinched.

"Who are you?" Asked a young boy's voice. Melita found a boy who looked similar to Envy, savage.

Melita toughened up, "Sloth."

They stood still and quiet for what seemed to be forever. The boy smiled and ran to her. He embraced her, this threw her off guard.

"You're finally here!" He smiled as he looked up, "She told me you were gonna come! She said you were gonna take me to another place!"

"Y... Yes... Let's go." Melita said.

She managed to find them some clothes that wouldn't attract attention.

Melita tried her hardest to cover her chest. She couldn't let this boy see what had become of her tattoo.

Not long after this, the two sat in a private car on the train. The boy was staring out the window.

Melita took a good look at the boy. He seemed to be a few years younger than Edward. He had long hair and blue eyes. What had stuck her odd was the different colored limbs he had. His left arm was pale white along with his right leg. His right arm and left leg were a darker, tanner tone... His leg had a scar half way up the thigh. She found this suspicious, but what could she do about it? This was Pride.

"Where we going?" The boy asked eagerly as he looked out the window.

"To a town, just a few miles away from Liore," Melita said.

Melita stared out the window. The girl's words were stuck in her head.

Introduce Wrath to Lust and Gluttony. Afterward, instruct them to go after the Elrics again.

Why did it seem that everything revolved around those two?

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.

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"Sloth." Lust was standing in a room with Gluttony sitting on the table. Melita walked into the room with Pride following behind, "Who's this?"

"This is Pride," She said, "He's the sixth homunculus."

"Nice to meet you, Pride." Lust leaned up against the wall.

"I'll be looking after him for a while. You two are to cross paths with the Elric brothers once more."

"Cross paths? Didn't she say that they weren't qualified to make a philosopher's stone?"

Melita went cold, "Not unless we push them to it... They're headed to Ishbal, right? That could be the last chance you have to get them to create a philosopher's stone…"

"Say... Sloth... What happened to the tattoo?" Lust asked.

Melita's heart dropped, "I... I don't know... Let's go Pride. You two do your job..."

Lust stared at the door which had been closed behind them.

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That night, Melita sat in a room. She grabbed a piece of glass. Gently, she placed it over her wrist and slid it across. Blood seeped out as the wound grew. She waited and waited. There was a spark and the wound closed. Melita sighed. Was she relieved? She herself didn't know.

The few days passed before Melita spoke to Pride again.

"We're leaving."

"Where're we going?" He asked eagerly.

"Ishbal," Melita told him, "Wrath will soon arrive and I have to do my job."

The two headed out. By nightfall, they had arrived at a municipal building in Ishbal. Surprisingly, it wasn't run down. She noticed a short boy talking to a suit of armor. The boy had thick brown hair and was wearing a heavy cloak. Melita could spot his golden eyes. She watched him leave the armor behind… Alphonse.

"Hey, sis." She heard Pride and returned to her reality.

"Let's go." She lead him into the shadows.


	21. Chapter 21

Military officials lined up in two rows in front of the building.

Fuhrer King Bradly, a 50-year-old man with an eye patch over his left eye walked towards the building, in between the lines of officials.

Melita watched him enter the building from a room which was assigned to him. She waited and waited. It was already night when he entered his room.

"Good to see you are here, Sloth."

Melita only nodded as she stood in the corner of the room.

"Why so gloomy? Oh right, you have a friend here." He looked out the window, "I had to dispose of an intruder, unfortunately, he got caught up in the mix."

Melita saw him looking outside. She stepped forward and looked, too. In the center of the quad was a suit of armor with many other officials. They were all familiar… Mustang's men. They were cleaning him out. A body was near Alphonse. Melita frowned.

"I'm aware you told Lust what to do?" Melita nodded. There were some heavy thuds and the room burst open. Melita and Bradley turned back to find Gluttony carrying Lust.

"Lust is… Lust is…" Gluttony was panicking. He set her on Bradley bed and Melita closed the door.

"How did this happen?" Bradley asked.

The Ishbalan showed her this thing… and she fell…" Gluttony said.

"A thing?" Melita spoke.

"One things for sure, she's not dead." Melita looked at her face. Lust had a frightened expression. It was mixed with pain and anguish. What had he showed her.

"She was close to remembering who she was." Bradley said, "In other words, that thing he showed her is from her previous life. You must try to avoid it at all costs."

Melita stayed with Lust in the room as Bradley went to tend to other business. She slowly woke up.

"Lust!" Gluttony jumped with glee.

"Where am I?" Lust asked.

"In Ishbal," Melita said.

"If you're here that means Wrath is here too?"

Melita nodded, "Lust… Have you ever wondered… Where we come from? Or where we go when we die?"

Lust was shocked at her question. It was something she would say.

"That thing that you saw… I'm sure it was a treasure from your past life. It triggered some memories… didn't it?"

"How do you know so much?" Lust asked.

"I'm a live homunculus. I was transformed into one." She said, "I was born a human… but am I destined to die a homunculus… or will I be used for something else? Being made a homunculus means you have to work to achieve something… You have a wish… to become human… But I already am… So why do I have to suffer so?

"Lust, help me… Help me slip out of her grasp. I don't want to be her toy anymore… It was painful enough being made into a full homunculus."

Lust only stared at her. Her stare was full of pity. How did she get trapped in the spider's web?

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.

.

Alphonse sat in the quad alone. He stared at the spot where he had been all night.

"Hurry up." He heard a familiar voice. Alphonse looked up to the corridor across from him. He saw a figure standing there. A woman in a long cloak.

Alphonse stood up as she met another person with a cloak. She hurried along with the newly found person.

"That's…" Alphonse recognized the two… Melita and his teacher's son, "Melita!" He called after her but they ran. Alphonse followed them into the desert. After hours of walking alone, he got an idea of where he was going… Liore.

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Melita and Pride walked in an underground tunnel. This would be the fastest route to Liore. As they walked further and further, they heard footsteps and a few voices, ones that weren't their own. Pride stopped.

"What?" Melita asked. Pride was looking down. A mad smirk grew on his face. This frightened her.

"He's here…" Pride picked up a rock that was nearby. It had merged and transformed into a sharp spike. This surprised Melita. What she noticed is that the transformation happened on his right arm, not his left. In a matter of seconds, he ran off.

"Pride!" After his disappearance, screams followed.

Melita ran towards that direction.

Strange. No matter how far she ran she didn't seem to get any closer. Her legs were becoming heavy. This was a strange sensation… Almost as if she didn't want to get there. In the end, she did. What she found was a bunch of corpses. This frightened her. She check every single one. They were all dead. Stabbed in the chest. Upon closer inspection Melita realized these were the people from Liore… That meant… She looked up. There was a sound of a child crying.

"SHUT UP!" He screamed. Melita ran. Once again, her legs became heavy, as if she could not deal with this pressure…

.

.

.

Edward was in too much shock to move.

"EDWARD!" He heard Rose's voice. He looked over and saw Pride lunging himself towards her. He knew he wasn't going to make it.

A shadow slipped by him and in front of Rose. It shouted, "Pride!"

Edward stopped as Pride's spike had penetrated their body. It became silent. The child that rested in Rose's arms began to cry again. Pride fell back with a regretful expression. He screamed. He had pierced them in the chest with his spike. They coughed blood.

"S… sis…" He whispered.

Edward took a good look at this person who had saved Rose. It was a girl with red eyes and black hair. She had a scar on her neck. Blood that had the same shade as her eyes seeped from her mouth…

"Melita…" Edward gaped.

"Pride." Melita looked stern.

Pride scooted back. He quickly got up and ran away.

"Melita…" Edward stepped forward. Melita fell to her knees. Blood from her wound met the ground. He watched as slowly, her wound closed, "Don't tell me you're… really one of them…"

Melita looked up him, waiting for judgment.

Edward remembered the previous Greed's words; To save the one they called Sloth.

"Why now… Out of all times… why did you have to come back now…?" Edward sounded upset. Melita couldn't answer, "Answer me!"

"Ed…" Rose said. She watched as Melita got up and wiped the blood from her mouth.

"I didn't have a choice. I'm a puppet like all of them…" Melita began to walk when Edward stopped her.

"So you're a homunculus… A created human being?"

Melita shook with frustration. She said angrily, "I didn't ask for this! I was born a human and made into a homunculus! I wasn't born from a failed attempt of human transmutation! I was born a damn… human…"

Melita looked down. There was a pause.

"Greed… Is the new Greed really out there…?" Edward asked, afraid of the answer.

Greed… Not the man who Dante had killed… but the one who _she_ had killed.

"I… killed her…" Melita said with full regret, "I killed the homunculus that was your mother…"


	22. Chapter 22

"I… killed her…I killed the homunculus that was your mother…"

Not another word was said. The silence asked Melita to leave, and she did.

Edward leaned against the wall.

"Edward...?" Rose stepped forward. He looked over to her.

"Heh... Looks like you finally found your voice..." Edward tried to congratulate her."

"Yes... But... What did she mean... She killed your..." She stopped.

Edward slid against the wall and sat. He chuckled wearily and said, "She did me a favor..."

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Melita wandered the tunnels. There was no sign of Pride. Melita stopped. Edward witnessed what a monster she is. The one thing she tried so hard not to do... But they were walking different paths now... And now... Now she killed his mother... He must hate her... Now he wants to kill her along with all the other homunculi...

Melita spotted an exit. She walked towards it.

When she surfaced, she was on the edge of Liore. The town was all run down from the war that's still raging on. Melita fell into anguish. This was all her doing... She was the reason this war started... She gave Cornello that Philosopher's stone... And that child she held... It belonged to the girl who brought her to the church that day... Rose... How they must've suffered...

What Melita had not noticed was the fact that this town was nearly empty. Melita paused as she heard gun shots and a child crying...

There was an explosion that wasn't to far from her. Melita ran towards it. When she got there, there was a cry. The sound of a baby... It stopped as soon as a large part of a building collapsed.

She lost it... Melita fell to her knees. She looked ahead to find Lust rushing away. She was calling out a name, "Scar!"

Melita noticed something on the floor. It was a corpse and a tin suit... A tin suit?

"Alphonse?" Melita called out. Alphonse looked over. His limbs were a dark color. He couldn't move.

"Melita!" Melita got up and ran to him, "Melita, why are you here!?"

"Alphonse, what happened?!" She asked.

"Kimblee... He made me a walking bomb!" Alphonse said. Melita looked at the pathetic corpse called Kimblee, "But Scar made me something that wouldn't explode."

"What are you doing here?" Melita and Alphonse heard a voice. A man who stood behind them picked up Melita by the hair.

"Melita!"

Melita looked at this man. He was from the military.

"Let go!" Melita struggled but he pulled harder.

There was a sudden pause. The atmosphere changed. It became hard to breathe. The ground rumble and a red glow surrounded the town.

"What the- gahhh!" The man released Melita. She looked at him. It seemed like he was suffocating.

Melita felt the effects. She was losing air.

"Melita! Melita!" Melita collapsed. She could hear Alphonse scream...

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"This is it..." Melita was once more in the body of a baby. She was laying on a pillow on the floor. There was a blue glow.

Suddenly, there was a change in the air. The blue glow became red. One by one, people were collapsing, their life force was being sucked out. Each soul that was ripped out was pulled into the transmutation circle. As soon as all the souls had been extracted, one by one they were absorbed by Melita's body. When the commotion died down, Melita woke up and cried in screams.

.

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.

What a strange sensation... It felt like she was being carried... They stopped.

"Al?" She heard. It was Edward, "What are you doing here?"

"I was chasing after a girl that looked like Melita and I ended up here."

"By girl you mean…"

"Brother… I don't know if she's dead…" She felt herself being gently placed on the floor. A warm hand placed itself against her neck.

"She's alive." He said, "Al, just where did you two meet?"

"In Liore. I was caught in a fight between Scar and Kimble and he made my body into a bomb. Scar then reconstructed my armor so I wouldn't explode." Said Alphonse.

"Al… Open up your armor…"

"Brother?"

"Just do it."

Edward couldn't believe what he saw. Inside his brother's armor was a red glow… A philosopher's stone...

"Ed… What is this?"

"Al… A little while ago, a transmutation circle was activated in the city. Scar transmuted a Philosopher's stone. Not inside himself…"

"That's right." Edward was startled. Behind him stood Lust. This time, she bared no will for violence. She seemed upset, "Little brother, you two have been transmuted into the Philosopher's stone."

"I'm… a Philosopher's stone?"

Lust spotted Melita.

"What's going on here!? Why would he do such a thing!? And what do you mean by ' _you two_ '?!" Edward demanded.

"Go on. Soon, they will be after you, and then everything will be set into motion. Take her with you. She wasn't meant to be caught up in all this. Be careful with her just as you would your brother... If they were to find out what happened here..."

"Didn't you want the Philosopher's stone as well?" Lust did not answer. She watched as Alphonse removed an amulet from his cloth. Lust stared at them and without a word, she left.

"Brother…"

"Al…" Edward looked at his younger brother. They both turned to the unconscious Melita.


	23. Chapter 23

The siblings ran through the desert as Alphonse carried Melita.

"I feel light for some reason…" Alphonse said as he ran. He noticed his elder brother was lagging behind so he stopped, "Do you want to take a break?"

Edward slowed down and tried to catch his breath.

"We can't… If what you said is right… About Bradley… This time, it was Bradley commanding the mission… I highly doubt Envy would take his place…. If we go back to the military, you and I would be…"

"Brother… Teacher told us that when a human transmutation fails, a homunculus is born… so does that mean…"

"No, Al… Don't say it."

"But, brother…" Alphonse extended his hand out.

"I said enough!" Edward swatted it away. There was a sudden burst of red light. Edward was blinded by a bright white light. He found himself at the gate. The gate opened and inside stood a childish figure.

Edward backed away from Alphonse. He had a terrified look on his face.

"What was that just now?" Alphonse asked, "A huge gate… I've seen it before, too. Brother, was that truth?"

"More or less… Yeah…" Edward relaxed a little.

"How did that happen? All we did was touch…"

"As an alchemist, I must have unknowingly made it react-" Edward paused, "Al, let me carry Melita… If that sort of thing happened to me… Who knows what effect it's having on her…"

"Brother… does that mean I've become a Philosopher's stone…? It's a legendary stone… Why out of all places would it be inside of me…?"

"It can take any form… But never mind that, just don't get too close to me…" Alphonse carefully eased Melita on Edward's back.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'm fine…" Edward was surprised. Melita wasn't heavy at all… Almost as if she's made up of feathers…

Edward continued to walk, "Brother, where are we going?"

"Resembool."

"But that's where the military will look first."

"Those homunculi are after you, Al… They're our top priority right now. If we're going to beat them, there's something I need to see first…"

.

.

.

Fuhrer Bradley was in a cart of a train. It was being loaded. His cart was dimly lit.

"..." Gluttony was standing next to him. The faced the wall where Lust had been hung upon. A blade pierced her ouroboros tattoo and the tattoos on her arms. She was unconscious.

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.

.

Melita stood in front of the gate of truth. She stared at the keeper of her mortality.

"You have returned, young alchemist," It said. The gate opened. This surprised both of them. The gate pulled Melita in, "What...?!"

Melita was blinded by the white light. She found herself in another white room. Behind her was her gate, but what she saw were two other gates. One was empty and the other had a person sitting in front of it. A boy with blond hair. Just as he turned to look at her with his golden eyes, Melita was pulled back into the gate.

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Melita felt as though she was being carried once more…

"Mn…" Edward stopped running. Alphonse did the same. They waited for her to regain full consciousness.

"Hey…"

Melita opened her eyes completely. She looked around. They stood on a large rock next to a river.

"Ed…? Al…?" Melita asked, "What are we doing here…?"

"Can you walk?" Edward asked. He eased her onto the ground. She stood up straight as she looked around.

"What happened…? The last thing I remember we were in Liore and… it became hard to breathe…"

"…"

"A philosopher's stone was created… wasn't it…" Melita asked, afraid of the answer.

"Yeah…" Melita frowned at the answer.

"I can't be here," She said, "I have to go."

"And where would you go? Back to them? Back to those _things?_ " Edward asked calmly.

"No… I can't go back to them… If I do…" Melita stopped, "I know you'll be at a greater risk with me tagging along."

"The chances don't decrease with you leaving…" Edward told her. What did he mean by that? Did he know that the homunculi are after her philosopher's stone? That she possesses one in her very own body as they speak? She noticed there was some distance between the brothers.

"Al… No…" Melita realized it… The reason why the younger brother still remained attached to that suit… He holds a philosopher's stone within that armor.

There were some rustling in the bushes. Branches broke and voices were heard.

Edward quickly transmuted. He pulled up a large cover.

"Al, hide!" He threw it over him and pulled Melita with him. He pushed her into a bush and Edward hid behind a tree.

Melita peeked through the leaves. She could see military men... Mustang's men, two of them.

Melita understood the situation more or less… They're on the run…

A gun cocked. She turned to look at Edward. There was a gun pointed at his head. On the other end of it was the ashy haired Lt. Havoc. He was accompanied by Sgt. Fury.

Edward grabbed the gun with his automail.

"You know what will happen if you shoot, right?" Edward asked.

"Now you know we dont want to do this, Ed. If you just come along quietly, we'll-" Havoc heard a rustling the bushes. Havoc quickly removed the gun from Edward's hand and pointed at the bush. He pulled the tigger just as Edward kicked it out of his hand. The gun went off.

"Brother!" Alphonse jumped out from underneath the cover. Melita slipped out from bush. She saw the two officers on the floor. Sgt. Fury was covering his forehead and Lt. Havoc holding his hand. Blood oozed out of their wounds.

"We're not going back. " Edward stepped back, "... Let's go!"

The two hesitated. Melita ran after Edward.

"I'm sorry!" Alphonse followed.

The three hopped from rock to rock along the river side. Two officers awaited them, Lt. Breda and Sgt. Falman.

Breda and Falman tried to catch Edward but he flew out of their grasp. He transmuted and touched the ground. Their feet had sunk into the rock.

"Edward, come back!" One shouted, "We need to talk to you!"

"We're not your enemy!" The two continued to run, but Melita stopped.

She looked at the two officers. This was her chance to escape. If she did that then she wouldnt be able to face the brothers again, no matter how much she wanted to. She ran off.

Melita caught up to the two. She watched Edward jump away from Alphonse,

"I told you, Al!" Edward scolded him, "Don't touch me so recklessly, we don't know what will happen!"

" _What_ will happen?" Melita asked. The two faced her, "I wake up to find myself being carried by you and now you're fleeing from the military, what's going on?"

They didn't answer, "Answer me!"

"Why dont you answer me?! You're the one who's suspicious here." Edward said coldly.

"Brother!" Alphonse yelled. Melita looked up to find two sharp stones flying at them. Melita ran towards Edward and pushed him away. Alphonse jumped off the rock just as the stones crashed. Melita and Edward looked up to find a group of military men standing there. Melita clapped her hands and transmuted. She used the stone around the men to trap them in a ball. There was an alchemical light that stopped it from closing. The rocks broke.

"What are you running for?" They waited for the dust to settle. When it did, they could see Mustang and his men standing there. Winry and Sheska were hostages.

"Ed! Al!" She called.

"Winry?!"

"Its because you're chasing us, that's why. When a dog is chased, it runs away."

"A well-trained dog should not disobey his master's orders."

"Master?!"

"Or have you gone back to being a stray dog?"

"Relax, Edward. Even if you were cursed as a dog of the military, you would put up with it to achieve your goal." Lt. Hawkeye spoke up, "Isnt that what you said?"

Melita heard footsteps. She looked back to find Falman and Breda behind them.

"I'm through being a dog of the military."

"Does this mean you're going back to being a helpless child who won't listen to reason?"

"Call it what you want!" Edward transmuted next to a rock. A there was an explosion in the river, making water rain on them, soaking the Flame Alchemist, "You're slipping, Colonel! Al!"

Edward began to run and Alphonse followed.

"Major!" Major Alex Luis Armstrong stepped forward.

"Sir!" Armstrong pounded the ground, sending a sharp spike towards them. Mustang pulled out a box of matches. He lit one and flicked it to the spike. It exploded and smaller stones went after them. Edward looked back and panicked.

"Edward!" Winry screamed. Alphonse tried to block it but Melita got in their way. She transmuted and a large wall grew. The stones crashed and they both crumbled.

"Melita!" They all faced each other.

"I transmuted the stone projectile in mid-air..."

"And I compressed the air within it and ignited it. An effective attack, don't you think?"

"It must've been handy in Ishbal, huh?" Mustang frowned. He sent a spark of fire to a large stone above them. It exploded and stone came crashing down. Alphonse shielded Edward and Melita.

When the rocks stopped, Melita looked around. They were surrounded by stone and the only entrance was being blocked by Mustang.

"What now, Ed?" Melita asked him. They watched as he walked towards them.

"Stop!" Winry screamed. Mustang obeyed. Melita watched as this girl fell to her knees, "Please... Stop..."

"Winry..."

"Once, I killed two people. They were doctors. Among their patients, there were no friends nor foes. Thats what they said when they treated those around the battlefield. However, those they treated became our enemies. The military repeatedly asked them to stop treating them, but they refused to listen. I was given the order... and I... Shot them." Mustang paused.

"Ever since I swore that even if I was under orders, I would not follow anything unreasonable. That I would put myself in the position where I didnt have to follow them.

The reason why im chasing after you is not because I was ordered to. It's because im pissed off at you! Why did you run off on your own without coming to me for protection?!"

Edward did not answer.


	24. Chapter 24

Rose and Lyra walked through the Old District of Central. Rose was uncomfortable with all the run down building and worn out people.

"What's wrong?" Lyra asked her as they walked.

"I'm just wondering if everyone else is safe…"

"There are a lot of people on the east with the same skin color as you, so I'm sure they made it out alright. However, you are seen as the instigator of the rebellion in Liore."

Rose frowned.

The two women came up to an old church.

"That looks like the temple of Lord Leto, back in Liore."

"It's from an even older religion. Though, its no longer in practice.

Rose was mesmerized by the stained glass that decorated the walls. Colored light flooded the old building. At the very front was a broken window. Lyra clapped her hands and transmuted. Glass reattached themselves to the window. On the floor in front of them, a transmutation circle activated.

A part of the large altar sunk into the ground. It uncovered an entrance.

Rose walked in. There were many steps with carvings along the walls.

Rose asked about the old religion. Lyra answered, "They only recognized one god, and considered all other gods to be a heathen. It is said they had a lot of believers. Many people died because of it. A great many…"

There was a man-made lake inside. Stones littered the area before the water fell down a waterfall.

"That's awful. Religions exist to save people."

"People cannot become gods, after all."

Rose's child begun to cry. She hushed it. Lyra disapproved of this.

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.

.

Inside a building resided the homunculi. Lust was pinned against the wall just like in the cart, only, this time, she was conscious. Gluttony stood close by. Pride sat on top of a fireplace.

"You abandoned Sloth?" Lust asked Pride.

"Shut up. You let those two get away… and they took big sis with them… It's all your fault!" Pride yelled, "Next time… Next time I will get them…"

Pride felt his energy leak out of his body as he heard the cries of a child. They heard the door open.

Rose was frightened at what she saw. It was the boy who killed the people she had tried to save. Gluttony and Pride were kneeling before them. Lust only closed her eyes.

.

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"Why did you run off on your own without coming to me for protection!?" Mustang asked again. Edward only responded with a slight smirk. Mustang felt foolish. Armstrong set his hand on Mustang's shoulder.

"Elric brothers, Miss Melita, what happened?" He asked calmly.

"King Bradley… is a homunculus…" Alphonse answered. It became head silent while everyone tried to process this.

"By Homunculus, you mean those… man-made people, right?" Falman asked.

"Yeah." Edward responded. He continued to explain, "They are covertly manipulating this country in order to get a Philosopher's Stone."

"That's not possible."

"The Fuhrer did not know what was taking place at the 5th Laboratory." Armstrong tried to defend him, "He also lamented the corruption within the military."

"That's what you think." Melita answered, "He knew what was going on because he was the one who had given Brigadier General Grand the authority to do such a thing. Every historical event that has happened up until now was under the supervision of the homunculi. Even the most recent one, Liore."

"There was the one Homunculus who can change his shape."

"Suppose there are homunculi among the military, what's their objective? Why have they infiltrated the military?"

Mustang heard footsteps. He realized there were outsiders among them.

"I will send them back to Liore. I will give them an appropriate reason for them not to return to Central for a while." Armstrong said.

"Yeah, you do that. As for us…"

"You're going to Resembool, right?" Mustang nodded.

Armstrong opened his arms, "Rejoice! Our duties are at an end!"

"Major, what were you just talking about?" Asked one of the officers.

Armstrong ripped his shirt off and had begun to flex, "Were you listening to the melody being played by this body of mine?"

"N… No…"

"Listen closely! Hear that? Hear that?"

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.

.

"Um… How's Lt. Havoc…" Edward was too shy to ask.

"He's okay. He and Fury were sent back ahead of us." Lt. Breda answered.

"I see… I'm sorry about all that."

Mustang's group walked along side the river. Melita kept her distance.

Winry looked at Edward's belt, "Ed, your silver watch…"

"That's right. You can't be a State Alchemist anymore, if what you said earlier is true." Lt. Hawkeye said.

"No, it's not that. I mean it was taken from me by Archer."

"Huh? Alphonse didn't give it to you?" Hawkeye asked. Melita looked over at the tin boy. He began to panic. He claimed it had been taken away by Kimble before he threw it at Scar.

"Al… Repeat that one more time?" Melita asked him. She was unsure she heard correctly due to the fact that he was speaking fast.

"… Red stones spilled out of the watch and they were absorbed by Scar's body."

Melita frowned. Alphonse had implied that there was more than one stone… How many lives were used…? How many pocket watches out there have stones inside?

"Why were there stones inside my pocket watch?" Edward asked furiously.

"That miserable Archer." Mustang interrupted, "He used that trick and called it Transmutation Amplifiers."

"What?" Edward turned to him.

"Previously in Ishbal, Brig. Gen. Grand had supplied us with red stones."

"Hold on, Colonel... So you knew that the military was making stones? And yet you didn't say anything to me?!" Edward began to walk towards him.

"Edward." Melita warned him to stop.

"After Marcoh fled, I figured it had stopped. Besides, I didn't know that people were the ingredients to make a stone."

"I can't trust you!" Edward grabbed Mustang by the collar and pulled him down to his level.

"Brother! Brother stop it!" Alphonse ran towards them.

"So you had us go out and try to find them!"

"Alphonse wait!" Melita now urged him to stop.

"Enough already!" Mustang pulled back.

With only a graze, a bright red light grew in between the brothers. This shocked everyone. Alphonse was thrown back and into the river.

"Al!"

"Ed! I thought Alphonse couldn't go into the water!"

"AL!"

Just as Edward reached the river bank a large majestic object jumped out.

"Yes?!" Alphonse replied. Everyone, including Melita, was in shock. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. The armor fell back into the water. Everyone was silent. Alphonse resurfaced and cheered, "Brother! I can swim! I can swim!"

"You idiot!" Edward jumped into the water and pulled him out.

Alphonse was rather happy.

"I thought your blood seal would wash off if you were submerged in water." Mustang was suspicious.

"Yeah..."

"Guess we don't have to worry about that now. I wonder if it must be because I'm a Philosopher's stone." The tin boy took off his helmet. The glow returned though it showed no harm.

"Okay okay, we get it!" Edward's arms flailed about. He put the helmet back on.

"Hey, what did you just-"

"It's nothing..." Edward fidgeted, "C-Come on, let's go!"

Edward got up and began marching away. Alphonse scrambled to get up before he followed his elder brother.

"Wait for me brother!"

The group gave them a suspicious look. Melita frowned. Why is he so desperate to hide it from his comrades? If only she had the luxury to do so...

.

.

.

"Looks like the military hasn't arrived yet." Said Salman as the group hid in the luscious trees. The landscape was all green. In view was a yellow house, the Rockbell residence.

The group heard a man's sobs.

"Hey, isn't that Sgt. Brosh?" Lt. Breda asked. It was, in fact, this man.

"Is he in pursuit?"

"Ah, no! Not him!" Winry told them before jumping out, "Mr. Brosh... W... Whats wrong?"

"Lt Ross…. Lt. Ross…" The man cried.

.

.

.

The group snuck closer to the house. They saw two people sitting on the porch. Lt. Ross was blushing intensely and a man. A man while dirty blond hair. His shoulders were broad and he seemed rather large… This man…

Lt. Brosh was biting his hat while Winry claimed that they had more important things to worry about. Roy couldn't accept there being anything more important than love.

"That man… he looks familiar…" Alphonse said. Melita agreed with this tin boy. She has seen this man somewhere… Somewhere… peaceful… "Wouldn't you agree, brother?"

Edward had gone missing. He was already sprinting towards the house. They watched as this boy punched the man, making him fall off the porch. Edward yelled in an angry voice. All they could hear was, "Dad…?"

Alphonse ran to join his brother.

Dad? That lecherous man was their father…?

Melita felt her mind go blank. She sunk down to her knees. She felt herself becoming lighter and lighter.

"Hohenheim…" Melita said before losing consciousness...


	25. Chapter 25

Melita slowly opened her eyes. Where was she? Why was it so dark? She heard a dog whine.

Melita sat up. She was in Winry's room. The sun had fallen and the moon took its place.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." She heard.

Melita got out of bed. She still felt light. She opened the door to the balcony and jumped down. She found the same man she found in the forest. The same man that released her soul.

"Hohenheim of Light." She said as he spotted her.

"Its seems you've changed since I last saw you in the forest, Homunculus."

"Don't call me that," Melita said forcefully, yet gently.

"Then what should I call one who is not human?"

"Melita. My human name is Melita." She said.

"My question is, how did you get caught up in Her web?"

"I wasn't given a choice." Melita told him, "I wasn't revived through human transmutation. I was born human and made as a possible vessel for a Philosopher's Stone."

Hohenheim nodded.

"When I saw you earlier, you were unconscious. It gave your friends quite the scare."

The door opened. Roy Mustang stepped out. He spotted Melita.

"You're awake."

.

.

.

"The Fuhrer has been accused of treason, as well as your sons."

"Accused..." Melita repeated.

"You never did tell me how you knew about the Homunculi that was among the military."

Melita looked at Mustang. She hesitated to answer but Hohenheim put his hand on her shoulder, "It's alright."

Melita bit her lip then continued, "I was made into a homunculus..."

Mustang was startled, "I thought that when a homunculus is born, it doesn't have a human shape..."

Melita cringed.

"And never would it be if left alone. In order to obtain one, it would require being fed an amount of a vital source of energy... Shards of a stone."

"You mean to tell me that they feed on human lives?!" Mustang's gaze wandered from Melita to Hohenheim.

"They may start off as innocent children, but eventually, they become corrupted by the need for power arises. You can't trust anyone who lives that long... No one."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"You said that the stones were being manufactured in the Fifth Laboratory. All but one homunculus can't perform alchemy." Mustang looked at Melita, "Yet how are they able to teach it? What purpose would it serve them?"

"Then that means someone is controlling them."

Hohenheim yawned, "Even if they are homunculi, this country is great... And the military is as honest and powerful as its always been, so I'm sure its fine."

"Why is it that they can't use alchemy?" Alphonse stepped out.

"Its because they all come from beyond the gate. But enough about that, tell me about you, son... Tell me about Trisha... I can tell from your body that..."

"There really isn't much to tell, is there?" Edward stepped out from behind the armored brother, "We failed human transmutation. I lost my limbs and Alphonse lost his whole body... That's it."

"Edward. Alchemy isn't something-"

"Shut up! You can't just come in here and start acting like a father! We had to watch mom die without you!"

Edward began to walk inside as he urged his brother to follow him. The younger brother refused and ordered their father to follow him.

"Hohenheim..." Melita looked at him as he stood up. He smiled and patted her head. He followed his son.

.

.

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Melita walked down the stairs the next morning. Edward was sitting on the as Alphonse was explaining to his brother some urgent news. Something caught her attention.

"Hohenheim's gone…?" Melita stumbled onto the room. She looked scared. As a matter of fact, she was. Reason? The person she felt at ease with has disappeared without a trace. Without him, whose to say no harm will come to those around her?

They boys stared at her.

"We have to go find him!" Alphonse insisted.

"Take it from me Al, he's long gone by now."

"Fine! I'll go alone!"

The door opened and Mustang and Hawkeye walked in. Mustang instructed them not to leave the premises. The search party had arrived this morning. Sheska walked into the room, very hostile. She doubted Mustang's words. The man only patted her shoulder and walked out.

"How about we put you in the basement?" Pinako walked in.

"N… No that's fine." Edward insisted. Sheska laughed.

"You, too."

"Eh?"

.

.

.

The basement was rather dark. The four sat. The three discussed of Mustang's plan to uncover Bradley's true identity. The topic moved over to a woman named Juliet Douglas, the cause of the Isbalan War.

"You mean that story about that soldier who accidentally shot a kid?" Edward asked.

"That's a lie," Melita spoke up.

"You've been quiet ever since we got here." Sheska noticed. Edward thought for a moment. He came to a realization.

"So that's it! Ishbal was used to create a Philosopher's Stone." Edward looked at Melita. She did not make eye contact, but she nodded, "That whole war was designed by those Homunculi."

"So that's it. And Hughes must have realized that much, and he was… killed for it." Sheska said.

Killed? This startled all three of them, Edward, Alphonse, and even Melita.

Edward burst out of the basement and tried to run out the door. Winry held him back. Sheska tried to hold Alphonse back as well.

"Did you know?!" Edward grabbed Winry's arms. She stared at him and looked down.

"I only found out a not too long ago…"

Edward released her with a frustrated expression.

"Edward." He looked back only to meet a slap to the face. Melita was standing right next to him, "Have you learned nothing? There's nothing you can do now, he's dead. You have to accept that already! Getting revenge won't bring him back to life!"

Edward stared at her with anger, "You wouldn't understand what it feels to lose someone cause you don't have anyone to lose! You don't fear death cause you can't die!" His words pierced Melita's heart. The pain was unbearable. "Hughes was a friend. It's our fault he's dead. We were the ones to put him in that situation!"

"That's enough!" Pinako burst into the room, "Colonel Mustang didn't keep you in the dark out of malice you know? I know deep down inside it hurts, but he wants you to realize that there are more important things to be worried about."

"Even so…"

"I thought the Colonel didn't care about what had happened to Brig. Gen. Hughes… but what if…."

"What if all he wanted to do was become a great man? Because he promised Hughes he would…?"

"So he pushes himself to search for the right path, not to be taken in by thoughts of revenge. He sure is an adult to look up to." Alphonse added.

"And why not revenge?!" Edward asked, "When someone close to you is killed and you know who's behind it, how can there be anything more important to you than revenge? If that's the way of being an adult then I'm never growing up!"

"You became a dog of the military in order to achieve your goal, didn't you?"

"Answer me one thing, Edward." Melita spoke up, "What will getting revenge accomplish? Will it let the dead rest in peace? Will it satisfy them? Will it bring them back to life? Or is getting revenge the only way you can cope with death?"

Edward stared at her. Melita did have a point. Maes Hughes was Roy Mustang's best friend. So many times had that man been tempted into committing human transmutation...

.

.

.

"Someone's coming!" Gluttony was cautious."

"Don't worry, Gluttony, there's no way someone-" Lust was interrupted.

Alchemical light flooded the room as the doors exploded.

"Who's that?"

Hohenheim walked in. Lyra greeted him.

"I welcome you here. Unfortunately, the mistress is out."

"So, Lyra is the name of that body?"

"I'm impressed you know that much, my Hohenheim of Light. It's nice to know you've been thinking about me since you were out."

"I heard the name Lyra from my sons. But even if I hadn't I would've known right away. You can't hide your smell."

"Have you come to help me?"

"No, not, this time, _Dante._ "

Dante became angry, "Gluttony!"

Gluttony ran to attack but Hohenheim had transmuted. This stopped the little creature from proceeding, sending him cowering away.

"Another alchemist who doesn't need circles." Lust noted.

Dante stepped forward, "There's no need to be afraid, Gluttony. That body must be near its limit."

Dante put her hands together, just like Hohenheim.

They both created an army large enough to fit in the room. The armies destroy each other.

"It is indeed that I am nearing my limit, but that means you are too." Hohenheim sent a shred of ice towards Dante. He ripped the cloth, exposing decaying skin. Lust was surprised.

"You may hide the decaying corpse with cloth but you cannot disguise that horrid smell."

"I suppose the same goes for you, Hohenheim."

"Dante, do not mislead those children any further. Leave them alone and in exchange, I will tell you why your body has started to decay."

.

.

.

The sun was setting and the sky was a toasted orange.

Melita silently followed Edward through the roads of Resembool. She had no right to question where they were going. They came upon a hill. The hill had a large dead tree with ruins sitting at its feet.

Melita remembered this place, she came here once, when she was still human… with Edward and Alphonse along with Armstrong. Yes, she remembered.

Edward walked towards what was the back yard.

"Before I left to become a state alchemist, I came here and burned my house down… But before that… I buried what was my…" Edward's voice faded. He hadn't turned to look at Melita once. There was some dirt that had been unearthed, "Back in Liore… You told me that you killed the next Homunculus that was going to be Greed… How sure are you that it was her…?"

Edward bent down and began digging with his bare hands.

"It was in an old abandoned lab. She told me to go get that kid, Pride… When I got there, found a reviving corpse. There were stones here and there… I knew what it was going to become…" Melita found it hard to speak, "I… I had to kill it… I burned the entire room… And before I left… It…"

Melita paused. She found herself shaking violently. Her cheeks felt wet. She was now crying. She was watching this broken boy dig up the remains of what should've been his mother. He didn't urge for an answer. Melita cried silently as Edward finished digging. Melita didn't want to see what was inside.

"It what, Melita?"

"It… screamed for your name, Edward…" Melita sobbed as she sunk into the ground right next to the boy, "It cried for you… I'm sorry…"

Edward turned to her. He was indeed broken for this boy expressed an anguished and wounded face. It was clear that he was holding back tears.

Melita shut her eyes and faced the ground, "I'm so… I'm sorry…"


	26. Chapter 26

"Dante, I want you to stop using those children as pawns in your malicious game. In exchange for that promise, I will tell you why that new body is rotting." Hohenheim said.

"It's been centuries since our last meeting. Why don't you help me try out this new body?" Dante licked her fingers.

"Sorry, but I have a wife."

"So? I was married as well, wasn't I? Again and again and again and again. After all, if I stayed with one of them he would've noticed my slowly aging body and our secret would be out." Dante became hysterical.

"That's where we're different. Trisha was my first and my last. She was the only woman I ever really loved."

Dante became upset.

"How odd. 400 years ago, back when I was still an innocent, you whispered words of love to me, or am I remembering wrong."

Hohenheim shook his head.

"On that day, 400 years ago, we finally achieved it. By using the lives of those sentenced to hang during the witch hunts, and those who were dying from the black plague, by repeating our experiments relentlessly, despite countless failures, we finally grasped it, the Philosopher's stone. But the demands of the transmutation left you nearly dead. With sheer impulse i attached your soul to the body of another person. It was then that we discovered eternal life."

"So by using philosopher's stone you transplanted your souls again and again…" Lust commented.

"Yes, that's right."

"You don't mean… the whole reason why you had us seek out someone who could make a Philosopher's stone was…?"

"After Hohenheim of light left my side I needed a new stone and I didn't know how to make one on my own."

"Luvenia."

Lust, Gluttony, and Dante looked at Hohenheim in curiosity.

"The names of the alchemists who had attempted to create, what I believe is, the largest stone in history. You had sought them out, did you not?"

"What are you-"

"You insisted on using their newly born child as a vessel for the Philosopher's stone, but I'm sure that failed. It took their lives and no Philosopher's stone was created. You had planned to keep that child with you so you could eventually transfer your soul into that body and remain young forever."

"Had I done that, my soul would perish for the Philosopher's stone consumes such energy. I figured she would have other uses. After all, she was the one who had reattached my soul to this body." Dante told him, "I wasn't planning on taking over her body, but I was hoping to keep her close. With her nearby, she could revive me over and over and over for centuries to come. Neither her nor I will perish. What I had done 16 years ago was attempted what was never done. I had reversed Human Transmutation. Why create a human when you can enhance it?"

Hohenheim disapproved of this as he began to walk closer. His footsteps were mocked by another set. Behind Dante, walking down the stairs holding a child in her arms was a familiar face.

Countless memories flooded back to him. Each one had that same face. Trisha.

Before he knew it, this woman was right in front of him. His body was engaged in a dense liquid.

Dante stepped forward as she held a baby. "I've been doing some research while you were away. Trying to learn more about the gate that is our source of our alchemic power. Would you like to know what lies beyond the gate? You can't tell me you've been just a little bit curious."

The child began to cry.

"Did you know that there is a part of the gate inside all of us. As our consciousness matures and we grow more attached to this world, we lose all awareness of it. But by using someone who's link is still strong, like a baby, a gate can be summoned. I'm going to show you, my darling, just what is beyond the gate.

Dante ripped off the cloth that the baby was wrapped in to reveal a tattoo on its stomach. Dante clapped and the tattoo began to glow a shade of blue. She threw the baby up into the air and light flooded the room.

Hohenheim stood before a large heavy door made of stone. There were carvings of slaves agonizing over it.

Hohenheim was surprised at first, but then he accepted his fate. The doors opened and inside were a million eyes.

"Trisha… I'm sure that our boys will be fine. They are your sons after all…" Black hands wrapped themselves around Hohenheim and pulled him in.

"And mine…"


	27. Chapter 27

"Last thing I remembered was Envy choking me in the hospital. Then a lot of pain followed after that. When I came to, I was laying in the woods. I knew some time had passed but I don't know how much. I just knew I had to return to Her. Even if it was against my will." Melita sat with Edward in the ruins of his house.

"And this person, shes the one who's controlling the Homunculi?" Edward asked. Melita nodded.

Edward noticed it was already night time.

"Well, lets head back, its getting late."

Edward got up and began walking. Melita was to follow, but she was distracted by a necklace laying nearby. It seemed unharmed. Melita picked it up. The necklace had a locket. Inside were two pictures. One of which was a beautiful woman with her two children. It was Edward and Alphonse. Instinctively, Melita put it in her pocket.

"Edward..." Melita called out to him. Edward stopped and looked back, "Back in Liore... It was... I..."

"What is it?"

"At the time... Of the transmutation... I... I'm a..." Melita found it hard to speak.

Edward gave her his undivided attention.

"Alphonse wasn't the only one who became a Philosophers stone..."

"W... What?"

"Ed, I'm a Philosopher's Stone." Melita said.

"How?!" Edward was startled, "When I touched Al there was a reaction... Why isn't it like that with you?"

"When I was born, my parents tried to make me into a vessel, a capable container for holding such a stone... I suppose my skin works as some sort of barrier or such..."

"But... I thought you didn't know your parents..."

"I saw it all... My life flash before my eyes..." Melita looked down, "If they were to find out..."

"Don't worry." Melita looked at Edward, "I'll protect you. I'll find a way to make things right.

What was this feeling? He would protect her...

.

.

.

As the two walked into the Rockbell property, the dog began to bark. The door opened and out came the younger brother, a little too eager. He questioned his brother's filthiness. Edward claimed to have been making false tracks. He fell and got a tad bit dirty.

"You should've told me, I could've gone with you."

"Think about it Al, what would we do if the homunculi found you, besides, I was with Melita."

"So are you going to tell him about the phone call you got?" Pinako peeked at the door.

"Phone call?"

"It was nothing! It was probably the military trying to spy on us!"

The elder brother dismissed the younger's suspicious behavior and dashed inside for food.

Minako stared at Alphonse.

"Who was it, Al?" Melita asked, "You can't fool me."

Alphonse glanced at the granny who nodded and walked into the house.

"You remember the Life Sewing Alchemist, Shou Tucker… Well.. He called and said he wanted to meet with me…"

"Alphonse…" Melita didn't approve of this, "Don't do it… It'll only create more problems.

"I know…"

The next day, Edward dyed his hair black to create a disguise. He had made a statue large enough to fit Alphonse inside. Winry was amused with the alchemic trick, but flipped when she saw the statue. She screamed which made the whole house jump.

Melita stood by in the hall as she overheard Edward claim he wasn't going to live his life for revenge and that he was going to do something more dangerous.

Pinako looked at Melita and walked into the dining room, she expected her to follow, and she did.

"I see you three are setting out again." Pinako sat at the table smoking out of her pipe.

Melita nodded.

"If you haven't noticed by now, those two are a handful, always doing reckless things and the such. They're never careful and they just throw this lives on the line as if they have another one to turn to. If that were the case, oh how so many of us wouldn't live in such misery."

"Edward is just trying to end what was started a long, long time ago… It's brave of him. Maybe, just maybe, he'll make things right again."

"You're going with them, aren't you? Promise me you'll watch over them? Promise me they'll make it back alive, whether Alphonse has his real body or not."

Melita nodded, "I'm afraid, Granny, that this will be the last time I come to this house… The last time I would eat your stew…"

"Don't talk such nonsense. If you can make sure those two come back then surely you can come back too. I won't forgive you if you don't come and eat with us one more time." Granny grinned. Melita stared at her and chuckled.

.

.

.

Winry and Sheska watched the train pull out of the station. They both drowned in their anxiety.

.

.

.

Towards mid day, the train was stopped in a cloudy area. The military boarded, looking for the fugitive brothers.

"Now search carefully for anyone who matches the hair and eye color. Height is important too. There is a tall one and a dwarf."

Melita sat in the train, close to the door. She had her hair tied up in a high pony tail and she wore Winry's clothes as a disguise.

When the men opened the door she could see Edward trembling in rage. The two officers stopped to observe him, but he was too tall.

Another officer ran up to them, telling them of an important find. They rushed off. Edward and Melita exchanged looks. They nodded.

.

.

In the cargo train, the two officers were about to smash the sculpture that was holding Alphonse. Suddenly, the wall behind it broke open and the statue fell back.

"What!?" The man recognized Edward from before, "Weren't you tall just a second ago.

He noticed stilts laying on the ground, "Why you!"

"Al, let's go!" Al broke free and Edward tore off his coat. The three ran.

"Al, you run ahead, I'll hold them off."

"But shouldn't I try to use the new alchemic power I got?"

"Just g-"

"Both of you run!" Melita stopped and turned around. She clapped her hands and transmuted.

.

.

.

The three sat inside an abandoned inn. Melita was resting on the bed. It seemed as though transmuting using the philosopher's stone took a toll on her. She claimed she was going to be fine, but she highly doubted it.

"Thanks, Melita, but I could've jus-"

"No Al, you can't use alchemy anymore," Edward said as he looked out the window.

"But why not? I remember the gate! And plus, I'm a philosopher's stone now. Maybe now i can transmute without a circle!"

"Just don't, Al!" Edward scolded him, "We don't know what will happen if you use alchemy."

He knew full well what it could do to his younger brother. As a matter of fact, he had Melita as an example.

Edward started for the door when Alphonse questioned him.

"Pops told us there was someone controlling the homunculi. There's something here I'm gonna need if we're going to stop them."

"Then I'll come with you."

"Don't worry, I won't take long. Besides, someone needs to take care of Melita."

Melita heard Edward's footsteps become faint. Alphonse sighed. He was about to sit down when he went to the door and found a phone outside.

After a while, Alphonse came back in.

"Al?"

"Sorry, Melita, but I have to go look for something. I'll be back soon." Alphonse closed the door behind him.

"Al? Al! Alphonse!" Melita got up but fell to her knees. She tried to hold herself up with the bed, but she found it impossible. Melita lost the strength in her body, eventually, everything went black…


	28. Chapter 28

"Most of her books have disappeared and those left behind are useless."

Inside of a large mansion in the woods were Edward and his former alchemy teacher, Izumi.

"Tell me, what kind of person was Dante?" Edward asked her.

"She was a great alchemist from a long line of them who inherited this crest." She was facing a bookshelf with a golden cross that a snake like feature wrapped around it, " Or so I thought."

"What do you mean?"

"She was extremely thorough about hiding her knowledge of alchemy, I'm sure she knew much more than she told me."

"There's nothing wrong with that is there?" Edward asked, "I mean, we encrypt our alchemic secrets too and record them, don't we?"

"Yes, but she was certainly a master at doing that. If alchemy was truly meant for the well-being of people, then why do we hide it?" Izumi responded, "She chose a life of isolation, living in these woods, seeing no one. But for what purpose?"

 **~Flash Back~**

"I was hoping you'd be happy for me." Young Izumi was standing before Elderly Dante in that same room.

"Does this mean that you were just another ordinary person?"

"I'm leaving you and this forest. I'm going to live in the city among the people who need me."

"If approval is what you're looking for, then you might as well enlist as a State Alchemist. I heard they praise their dogs well in the military."

Izumi hesitated to respond, "Tell em something…"

"I think you should go now."

"Did you ever… Did you ever love anyone other than yourself?"

"Why should I love any human being? They're all ignorant, egotistical things beyond any redemption. Once they learned how to use gunpowder, they only thought about waging war. If they ever understood the secrets of alchemy… What a horrible tragedy that would be."

"Don't forget that I am a human being, Dante! And so are you!

 **~Present Day~**

"There was one name you could never speak in front of her." Present Izumi said, "That name is Hohenheim of Light."

At this point, Izumi turned to face Edward.

"My… father?"

Izumi pushed a slip of paper towards Edward that was on the desk.

"Yes. This was the only useful thing I've found that she couldn't throw away."

Edward picked it up and read it. He slightly blushed.

"It's a love letter, from Hohenheim to Dante, years ago."

"Hold on! When I met Dante, she was pretty old. She was at least 20 years older than my old man!"

"That's not the only problem with this." Izumi pointed at the top right corner of the letter, "This had the year written on it, based on the birth of Christ."

"The birth of Christ?"

"The dating system isn't used anymore. It's derived from an ancient religion, one that hasn't been practiced for centuries." Izumi paused, "That date was 400 years ago."

Edward couldn't process this all at once. He walked towards the window and stared at the endless sea of trees. He spoke, "So, what do you make of all this?"

"I don't know. Maybe the names are only a coincidence."

"Maybe so… Or maybe she's the one who's been controlling the Homunculi.

"That's quite a leave. But if that is the case, are you prepared?"

.

.

Izumi walked Edward to another room.

"There was something that did catch my eye, though," Izumi said. She stopped and opened the door to a room. One one side of this room were the belongings of a little girl. There was a small bookshelf by the window that was full of basic alchemy books. On top of the bookshelf were three wooden dogs and a picture frame. One looked poorly made. The next one looked better than the first. Then the last one looked like a complete replica of an actual dog, with details and all. On the other side of the room were transmutation circles written on the walls.

Edward walked inside. He approached the bookshelf. What attracted his attention was the frame. Edward picked it up.

The picture was of the elderly woman Dante and a little girl sitting outside. The girl had black hair and dark red eyes. He fully well who this girl was. He knew who had lived in this room and who made these wooden dogs.

"I wasn't aware that Dante had a little girl, though I very much doubt that whoever lived in this room was actually a child."

"No." Edward said, you could hear him smile, "This was definitely a child and they're no blood relatives either."

Izumi said, "When I left, there was no one but her living here. But I would find it hypocritical that she would live in this house with another person..."

.

.

.

Izumi stood outside with her large husband. Edward was walking down the stairs.

"I'm sorry I wasn't of much help."

"It's okay, I'd rather finish on my own anyway." Edward paused, "Teacher… I'm sorry."

"Go on you fool." She said in full regret.

Edward bowed and apologized once again before walking into the dense woods.


	29. Chapter 29

"… Ta…. ey… Mel… ta… Meli… Can… hear me?"

What was this? Melita was feeling very sluggish. Someone was calling her. It was a familiar voice. Melita forced her eyes open to find Edward holding her in his arms.

"What happened? Where's Al?"

"Al…" Melita tried to pull herself together, "After you left he made a phone call… Then he left. I was going to go after him, but… I lost consciousness."

Edward helped Melita onto the bed. He stood up and cursed, "Don't even think about it."

Melita looked behind him to find Lust pointing her sharp finger at him.

"You're looking well, for a fugitive of the military."

"I already know who you are."

"I am nothing but myself."

Edward pulled out a pendant from his pocket and threw it at Lust. It got caught in her fingers. She froze. Melita had seen that expression before. It was that night when she arrived at Ishbal.

Edward hoped over towards the wall.

"I told you, I know who you really are!" Edward transmuted his arm into a blade and headed for Lust. He was stopped when Pride jumped in front of him. Pride grabbed Edward by the arms.

"Today's the day when I'll finally have them!" He tightened his grip on Edward's real arm.

"Sorry, but my arm's not for sale!" Edward kicked Pride away but he failed to let go of his automail.

"Let go!" Pride did as he was told, but when he did, he ripped off the metal hand that belonged to Edward. Pride attached it to himself, making a chest guard. Pride pushed Edward onto the bed and began to choke him.

"Okay, Pride…" Edward strained to say.

"Don't bother begging for mercy."

"Take whatever you want... In the end, it's our soul that make us human... and that's something you'll never have!"

"What!?" Pride was suddenly pulled back. Edward looked up to find Melita strangling Pride with a thick piece of wire.

"S… Sis…" Pride tried to say. Melita's eyes were filled with bloodlust, she paid no heed to what this mongrel was saying, "I…"

There was a snap. Pride fell to the floor.

"Edward, let's go!" She said. Edward nodded and jumped out the window with Melita following close behind. It didn't take long before Lust followed them outside. She blocked one side of the alley while Pride blocked the other side with a bit of delay.

"Why would you kill me, sis?!" Pride asked Melita, "Have you betrayed us!?"

Melita hesitated to respond. She didn't want to be classified as a Homunculus… She didn't want anything to do with them. Now he's acting as though she's his blood relative or something…

"Kill him, Lust!"

"I guess you want to become a human too, now don't you?"

"If there's a Philosopher's Stone, yes. Your little brother went off to Tucker's place and is currently learning how to do it." Lust paused. Melita looked at her, giving her all the empathy in the world, "Let's say you did know how to use it."

"Lust, what are you telling him!?" Pride spoke in a superior manner.

"Would you… make me human?"

"Traitor!" Pride started running towards Lust when she pushed him back with a stroke of her fingers.

"What the hell are you trying to pull here?" Edward said.

"I already told you."

"Lust…" Melita stared at this woman. Was she rebelling? Was she trying to do the same thing Melita was doing?

"Do you honestly think I'm gonna make you human? Why don't you ask your master to do it, instead?"

"Why wouldn't you?" Lust said. "If you were to make us human then you wouldn't have anyone chasing you anymore."

"Traitor traitor traitor!" Pride got up and attacked Lust. She fended him off but was defeated when one of her fingers pierced the pendant. She fell back.

"You just couldn't be patient. Didn't she already say she was going to make us humans once we find the Philosopher's stone for her?"

Pride put his foot right in between her boobs.

"I don't believe it. She only wants the stone to keep on living. For that reason, countless wars have been fought. You know our master has no intention of making us all human."

"Well, I don't really care if she helps me or not," Pride grabbed one of her fingers and broke it off. Lust screamed in pain, "I have my own way of becoming human. I guess it's just like our master said, you can't be trusted."

Pride used alchemy to attach her finger to his hand.

"I guess I'll be doing us all a fav- agh!" Melita has transmuted and used her palm to destroy Pride's armor, pushing him back.

"Why… sis…?" Melita frowned when he said that, "Why have you betrayed us…?!"

"Don't lump me together with you." Melita walked closer to him. She stopped right in front of Lust. Pride got up. He saw her holding the pendant in her hand. He gasped as Lust's fingers pierced his shoulders, pinning him down. The only one that remained small was the newly regenerated one. She waited for him to look at her before piercing his forehead with it, thus, killing him.

"Let's go." Lust began to walk.

"Melita…" Edward stared at her. She looked at him and tossed the pendant to him. He caught it and looked at it before putting it in his pocket.

.

.

The three ran through the empty streets in the dead of night.

"Do you know where Al went to meet Tucker?" Edward asked.

"He's in the laboratory where he worked before becoming a state alchemist. Though, we have to hurry. Greed is going after your brother." Melita's eyes widened. She stopped running…

"N… No…" Melita stuttered. She couldn't believe it… She did it… She killed Greed right before she met Pride, "There's no way… Greed is…"

The other two stopped. Edward looked at her with a confused expression. An expression hoping to be proved wrong.

"I thought… you said you killed her…"

"I… I did…"

"No. You didn't." Lust said, "What you killed wasn't Greed… It was another failed attempt at human transmutation."

Melita and Edward stared at her with the same shock.

"W… Wait…" Edward tried to ignore the new information and pursue the old, "Why are you doing this? It's not like I promised you I would do it."

"Why?"

"I should be asking you why! You guys are immortal aren't you? You guys don't even age at all from what I can tell. You can't be hurt and you have powers no other human being could top. So why should I believe you when you say you want to give all that up?!"

"You don't know how cruel you're being, do you?" Lust said calmly as she looked back, glancing behind him. Edward held his breath as he turned to look at Melita. She was looking away from him.

How could he say such a thing…? He told her that he was going to find a way to make things right again… What difference would it make if he made Lust human as well as her? That would be setting things right…

"Why do you want your brother to return the way he was? He's practically immortal too, you know." Lust began walking again. Melita followed without looking at Edward. She didn't want to look at him.

"Hold it… The person you referred to as master… Is it by any chance someone that I know…?" Edward asked.

"Tell you what. You make me human and I'll tell you what you want to know."

"Don't forget, I'm holding that pendant of yours!" Edward tried to win their quarrel.

Lust didn't stop, "No, Edward. There's no possible way I could forget."


	30. Chapter 30

What does it mean to be human? Is it to experience emotions? To create and destroy? What is life? In literal terms, it is the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter… But if that were to be the case… Then what are the homunculi? Created beings? Puppets? Dolls?

Melita stopped running when the group reached an old abandoned warehouse like building. Lust lead them to the entrance. Melita didn't try to make any sort of contact with Edward.

Once inside, Edward began looking for scraps of metal to complete his automail. Lust began tending to other duties. Melita began to look around.

She noticed a chamber door that lead to the basement. She stepped inside but didn't continue to walk all the way down. Reason was because she heard voices.

"I'm sure you got what you want, Mr. Tucker." Said a female voice. There was a distant sound of water and choking.

After a few seconds she heard heels click and armor clank. Melita slipped back into the large room.

.

.

Edward looked up to find his armored brother and a woman. A woman who were in Ed's memories. Trisha Elric. Edward seemed a little fazed, as if he didn't want to believe this.

"Get away from her… Al…" Edward ordered.

"But Ed, it's mo-"

"No, it's not!"

"I know who she is bu-"

"She's using memories to manipulate us. That thing doesn't have a soul!"

"What an awful thing to say, Edward." Said the homunculus. She didn't seemed the slight bit hurt.

A beast like creature stumbled into the room. It's head seemed to be upside down with horns coming out of his chin. It had bare like hands and feet. It was Tucker.

"Please, Al…. let me try it one more time."

"Tucker! You intentionally called Al here by himself?!" Edward paused when he noticed that a piece of armor was missing from his brother.

"It's equivalent exchange. By using the philosopher's stone, this is what happened. If this were to happen to me… what would happen to Melita?"

"You were suckered into this by Tucker! Damn it, there's so many idiots who's asses i have to kick! Ima have to start carrying a list just to keep track of them all. Come on, Al, let's get moving."

"He can't do that, Edward."

"What? Are you gonna return him back to normal? Or are you gonna bring him back to your master and use him until he dies?"

No one responded.

"Al, step away!" Edward transmuted hum hand to a gun-like object and pointed it at them. Edward began to fire. Tucker cowered back into the basement while Alphonse dove out of the way. All that remained was the homunculus. She had turned to a dense liquid that the bullets went right through.

Alphonse jumped back in front of what was now a puddle.

"No!"

"Don't be stupid, Al!"

The puddle of water collected and took a form of the homunculi's head, "Edward, you're hurting me."

"Nice try, but I know it takes more than that to kill you." The homunculus began regenerating it's human form.

Edward began running away. She chased after him, reaching out. Her arms liquefied and stretched out towards Edward. Once she got a hold of him, Edward couldn't move.

"Your mother was talking to you."

Edward chuckled. The homunculus was confused. She looked down to find a transmutation circle.

"What is this?"

"It's the same transmutation circle that was at Dante's house when I killed Greed. It's designed to kill a homunculus, right?"

The homunculus didn't let go.

"That's very clever of you, but not quite. You're gonna need more than a simple circle to kill me."

"That may be true, but it will last long enough to stop you."

There was a sound of a small chain. Alphonse watched as something fell from the ceiling. A silver object.

The homunculus looked up to find a pendant falling towards her. It penetrated her body, petrifying her in the same manner Lust was.

"Wh…" Edward and Alphonse were surprised.

The homunculus melted into a puddle. It tried to seep its way out of the circle but a voice stopped her.

"Give it up, Greed. You're not gonna be able to dissolve this transmutation circle." Lust walked into the scene. Her nails grew sharp, "I made sure to carve it out especially deep for you."

"Thanks, I owe you one." Edward threw Lust's pendant at her. Lust swatted it away.

"I hope you don't think I did this just for the locket, Fullmetal."

There was a thud. They looked over to find Melita had jumped down from what might have been the ceiling.

"Melita…"

"The pendant… were you…" Edward questioned.

"I found it in the remains of your home. I instinctively picked it up, hoping it might be of some use." Melita said.

"Lust, Sloth… Why would you betray our master?"

"Betray? That's an interesting word for you to use, Greed."

"What are you talking about?"

"Memories of people we were. They're subtle but they're real. It took me a long time to understand what I saw. Books say we shouldn't have memories or if we do its only the emotions of the alchemist who made us that we see… but they're wrong. Those memories are mine… I was…" Lust paused, "I was an Ishbalan woman deep in love."

"No you weren't."

"Sloth remembers but she's let our master fool her into not caring about sons."

"She's not our mom!" Edward argued.

"Or maybe she really is but she's not yet complete."

Alphonse glanced at the puddle of water. He found the pendant lying there. He took the chance and ran for it. Alphonse grabbed it and threw it out the window.

"Alphonse!" Melita yelled "What are you doing!?"

"Stay out of our business, Melita! I'm not going to let you do this to her!"

"Why won't you understand?! If we don't get rid of them, the chase will never end!"

"That pendant was able to paralyze her. That means that she is the owner of it. I remember it clearly. We created her that day." Alphonse looked at the woman to find her on her knees, regurgitating red stones.

"She's a homunculus!"

"Homunculi are born when human transmutation fails. Whether she has a soul or not, homunculi still exist."

"Why won't you listen to reason!?" Melita was getting frustrated at the younger brother.

"She's our responsibility." He faced Edward.

"Then shouldn't that mean that _you're_ the one who should kill her!?"

"No!"

"Edward, why don't you try to reason with your brother?"

Edward hesitated then said, "She's right, Al."

"Don't worry. I'll do it." Lust stepped forward with her sharp nails.

"No, you can't do this!" Alphonse watched as Greed reached out to him in pain. Alphonse was about to grab her when Lust cut her, making her melt into water once more.

"You better go fetch that pendant, Fullmetal."

Edward hesitated then ran outside.

Once outside he looked around to find Pride picking up the pendant.

"You were gonna use this to kill mom."

"Your mom? You have a serious case of confusion, you know?"

"I'm not confused at all Edward I'm just taking away everything you have."

"That creature in there isn't my mother."

"I think you're the one that's confused.

"Hand it over." Edward held out his hand. After failing to listen Edward ran towards Pride. Pride simply jumped on Edward's head, knocking him down. When he landed, Pride put the pendant to his chest and his body absorbed it. Edward looked back in shock. Pride smirked.

.

.

Inside, Lust continued to kill the growing homunculus. The window broke when Edward was thrown in by Pride. Pride looked up to find Lust continuously kill Greed.

"What are you doing to mom!?" He screamed.

Melita and Alphonse looked over, "Mom?"

"Funny. That's what I said. Turns out that he wants a mother so bad that he's picked himself out a new one."

"Get away from her!" Pride ran by a table full of guns. He transmuted them and took them into his arm, creating a large mutant weapon. He began to fire.

Melita dove under the bullets and transmuted a large wall. Greed took advantage of the situation and poured herself into the hole in Alphonse's armor.

"You were good to stick up for your mother, Al."

"Hey!" Alphonse began walking away against his will.

"Al!" Edward couldn't go around the bullets.

Lust ran toward's Pride and cut his arm off just as the wall crumbled. The pieces of weapon clanked onto the ground.

"Go. We can handle this." Lust said as Melita stood up. Edward looked at them and ran after his younger brother.

Pride looked at the two with a hateful look.

"Don't you think you're a little too old to be crying for mommy?" Bullet's fell to the ground as they were ejected from her body.

"I'll kill you for trying to take everything away from me!"

Melita stepped forward, "I'd like to see you try."


	31. Chapter 31

Pride's arm regenerated.

"Why are you helping them, Sis?" Pride asked.

"I'm trying to put an end to all this. To her and to you."

Lust stabbed him. He fell. In a few seconds, he was revived.

"You traitors. You can't win. No matter how many times you try, I'll still come back to life."

"Oh, thats as long as the stones are in you, didn't you know?" Lust said, "And I can soon change that. I'll just rip them out of your belly, one death at a time."

Pride became frightened and attempted to run.

Melita transmuted and warped the ground underneath him.

"I'll get my way!" Pride used alchemy to break his feet free. Pride got up and Lust began swiping her fingers here and there while Pride desperately tried to dodge them, "I'm going to become him."

"And what good will that do?" Melita asked.

"What do you mean!? Why should I exist for a creature like you?!"

Lust tried to pierce his head but Pride fell back.

"Using you was a mistake from the start." Lust said.

Pride sat up, "And why's that? Because I can use alchemy?"

"I can also use alchemy but the difference is, your head's messed up in all sorts of ways," Melita said.

"Sure about that?" Lust looked down to find herself on the transmutation circle. Lust desperately tried to run but Pride threw her pendant at her and transmuted.

"Lust!" Melita tried to stop Pride, but she was blinded by a bright light. When the light subsided, Lust was throwing up Philosopher's stones.

"Lust, no!" Melita was going to try to help her but she was stopped.

"Don't step inside the circle!" She coughed.

"Isn't this what you wanted? To become human so you could die?"

"Maybe you are right…" Lust said.

"What are you saying, Lust?"

"Where did I come from? Where will I go when I die? Maybe after all this time, that is what I wanted. I was too afraid to find out."

Pride picked up a piece of metal and joined it to his arm. He raised it.

"Stop it!" Melita screamed. She was on the verge of tears as she transmuted and broke the transmutation circle. She pulled out a long sword and ran to Pride. Pride tried to block her attack. He shoved the sharp metal into her chest. just as she just she pushed the sword into Pride's throat. Pride fell back with the sword still lodged in this body. Melita coughed out blood as the metal slipped out.

Lust continued to expel the stones from her body. Melita dropped down next to her.

"I guess this is my end…" Lust said. She looked up and silently chuckled, "Why are you crying for someone like me? After all that we put you through?"

Melita had tears streaming down her face.

"After I found out Dante's secret, I knew I wasn't going to become human." Lust paused to regurgitate more stones, "So I… sought for the boy… But I realized that he wasn't going to go against the rules of nature…"

"If he won't do it, then I will!" Melita insisted.

"No… If you were to do that, who knows what will happen to you." Lust took a breath, "I know you became a philosopher's stone that day… You… out of all of us, deserve to be human… you were one to begin with…"

Lust became weaker.

"Don't let her win… End this long feud… Restore yourself to what you once were…" Lust fell. Melita cried even more. Lust reached out with the last bit of her strength. Lust touched Melita's scar and with that gentle touch, Lust's body began to turn to ashes, "I'm sorry, for almost killing you… that day… do what I wasn't able to do… live…"

Melita watched as this woman who had tried to help her turn into ashes. Once there was no sign of a human figure, Melita lost it. She screamed as she cried out for her to return.

"The bitch is dead… Now it's your turn, sis." Melita didn't try to defend herself as Pride but her sword next to her neck.

"Does becoming human… just mean death? Then why do I want to become one so bad?" Pride asked.

"Being human is more than that… It's having emotions… being able to have friends, family… Being human means not being alone…"

"Not being alone…?" Pride stopped, "That's right! I have to protect mommy."

Pride left Melita alone and went after the brothers. Melita sat alone in the room.

She broke the silence by cursing Dante's name before losing consciousness...


	32. Chapter 32

Alphonse walked into another part of the abandoned building.

"Al!" Edward tried to catch up to the armor but stopped when he heard a scream.

"YOU BIIITTTCCCHHHH!"

Edward barely missed the punch Alphonse had thrown at him. He jumped back, "Hey!"

"I'm sorry! I can't control my movements."

Edward blocked the next attack with his forearm. He watched as strange scriptures began to glow red on Alphonse's arm.

"We can't do this, Al! Even brush against you will cause a reaction."

"Ho! So that seems to be true." Said Greed, "All the more reason to leave us alone."

"Mom, stop!"

"When are you gonna accept it? She's not our mom! Mom wouldn't say that! She wouldn't use you as a shield!"

Edward got knocked back to a desk. He turned and began to scribble something, "And she wouldn't hit me!"

Alphonse caught up to Edward but she slipped under and ran to another desk.

"Ed, what are you doing?" Alphonse noticed his brother scribble something.

"You can't touch your brother, so you're trying to use a transmutation circle, but I won't give him time to finish one."

Alphonse knocked Edward away. He apologized as his brother got up and ran back to the first desk.

"I need you to fight against her, Al! Now!"

Edward and Alphonse pushed both desks towards each other. Once they collided, it created a perfect transmutation circle. The boys ran towards the circle as the homunculus was caught off guard. Alphonse forced his torso above the circle as Edward transmuted. Ice began to form around the armor just as Greed froze to solid ice.

"Al, sorry about that."

"No, I'm the one who's sorry."

"Come to think of it, where's Lust and Melita? I figured they'd be done about now.

The armor began to shake.

"Hey! Stop that!"

"That night… That night… I saw you, Edward…"

Edward's young eyes stared in disbelief as he looked into the eyes of a monster which drew breath.

.

.

.

The monster crawled towards a woman as the rain poured down hard.

"There there, eat these." The elderly woman Dante fed the monster red stones, "When I heard she died, I knew it would come to this. After all, they are his sons."

.

.

.

A savage devoured countless stones as Envy watched. Dante and a young girl were having tea at a table nearby.

"She's starting to look more presentable, huh?"

"Now, now, Envy. When you were first born, you were no better off."

The young girl laughed as Envy glared at her.

.

.

.

The presentable Trisha rested on a bed in agony.

"I saw… children…" She recollected from her dream, "There was a country house and a man… Laundry all aligned… We were happy there, but also very sad. What does this mean?"

"When you become human, you will understand."

"Human?"

" I will assist you. Find the Philosopher's Stone. It seems like it will take you some time before you can move around. We'll wait until then."

"She's accelerating the cells in her body, she's generating her own heat source!"

Water poured out of the whole and enveloped the armor, pulling him back. Greed's head appeared, "Edward…"

"Stop trying to play this dumb mom card! You don't even have any of her memories!"

"Yes, I do. What Lust said was true. Maybe the thoughts of your mother within you were just burned into me…"

"You're lying! If that were so, you wouldn't be able to do this!"

"It's all for the sake of being free." Greed released Alphonse who fell back. She stood up straight.

"These memories… are memories of myself as your mother… And yet, your mother is dead. I am… I am not human. Who am I? I… am going to kill you. By doing so, I can prove that I am not your mother. If you were no longer here, I wouldn't be tormented by these memories. I am not your mother…" Greed paused, "Yet I feel I am your mother. I almost feel as though I could love you… When by creating me, I ought to hate you."

Greed's arms extended. She swung her watery arms around, trying to catch Edward. Edward stopped to transmute. Large stone walls grew one after another, but each one was broken down by the water.

"She's our responsibility, Al!" Edward's arm was transmuted into a long blade. He used the base of a broken wall to jump towards the woman. The cut right through her. Waves of water tried to attack Edward, but he only blocked it.

"Mom!" Pride ran in. Greed turned back but gasped as Edward pierced her chest with the blade.

"The final proof is coming soon when you see how little I care," Greed smirked. It soon faded as a bright light emerged from the wound. The homunculus turned into little droplets of water. Soon enough, it had begun to rain inside.

"Brother?"

"Mom!" Pride screamed.

"I transmuted my automail into sodium. It explodes when it reacts with water." Alphonse looked at the metallic arm to find that the forearm was missing.

Pride sunk down to his knees in the puddle of water.

"Mom! No!"

"Cut it out, she's not anyone's mother. Face it, Pride, it's over.

"MOOOMMMM!" He screamed. The puddle of water collected and gave form to Trisha.

"You don't actually think that was enough to finish me off. You don't understand me at all."

"Mom!" Pride ran up to her.

"I want you to wait outside, Pride."

"I won't I never want to lose you again!" Pride hugged her. By doing so, he had transmuted them.

Alphonse couldn't believe it, "He fused himself with another Homunculus?"

Pride and Greed were joined together. Pride felt as though he could rule the world, but Greed on the other hand…

"Pride…" She tried to say, "You fool…"

"You shouldn't be so impulsive, Pride. Did you forget that you took that pendant into your body? If I remember correctly, there were pictures inside… Pictures of us, her family…" Edward walked towards a pile of rubble, "And now that you're a part of her, you can't move. Now I can take my time to recompose her into a different element."

"What are you talking about, brother? Alchemy on a living structure? You don't know how to do that."

"It's something I learned fighting the previous greed. I reworked his body's chemistry to create a weakness." Edward drew a transmutation circle on a piece of metal, recreating another arm.

"It wasn't like Kimble's technique when he restructured the elements in just one place. I'll be able to restructure the entire body." Pride struggled to break free, "The reason being that a Homunculus is not human."

Edward clapped his hands and touched Greed's arm. For a second, Greed's body turned clear as water before regaining form.

"Mom? What did you do?" Pride faced Edward who stepped back, "I'll kill you if you hurt her."

"Step away, that's my advice." Edward said calmly as he watched this person turn into a turquoise color, "I started a chain reaction that's transforming her liquid body into ethanol. She's going to evaporate. Disappear into thin air…"


	33. Chapter 33

Pride stared at this woman. His body began to burn. He jumped away.

"Well done…" Greed said as she became transparent, "Make sure you tidy up when you're finished…"

Eventually, she vanished. Edward and Alphonse looked down. Pride broke down in tears.

"Ed, Al…" The two looked back to find Winry standing there.

"Winry?"

"Did something happen to the village?"

"I came cause I was concerned. You finally took care of her, huh?"

"You're not really her." Edward pulled himself together. Alphonse walked towards her before she cried out something about loving him. She grew an ugly smirk on her face. She grabbed Alphonse's arm and pulled it behind his body, setting him up into a lock.

"This is where it ends." She said.

"It's no use. I'm the Philosopher's Stone."

"So I hear." Envy transformed back, "Well then, shall we try this out? If you've become thePhilosopher's Stone, then you should be fine if…" Envy shoved his hand into the hole, reaching for the medium, "I destroy this here."

Envy punched the circle of blood. Red light flooded out of the hole.

"Don't touch him!" Edward screamed. The light faded.

"You don't have to worry. I'm just going to carry him to Her place."

"Her?" Alphonse thought.

"The one Lust was talking about? The one who controls you, and for whom you're searching for the Philosopher's Stone to make immortal?"

"Maybe so, although it's not as though you have absolutely nothing to do with that person. By any chance, it's the person above you the one who deliberately enticed our mom, and did that to her?"

"It couldn't be! There's no way Dad would do those things!" Alphonse jumped to her defense.

"We've talked enough." Envy picked up the suit of armor and set him on his shoulder. Pride darted towards him and grabbed his leg, "Hey, you've got the wrong guy! Go slow _him_ down!"

"That guy can do anything, right?"

"Sorry kid but this toy isn't for you to play with."

"He can bring mom back, isn't that right? You have to let me use him!"

Envy kicked Pride back, Edward caught him.

"Give it a rest, momma's boy." Envy glared at him and left.

"Al!" Edward was going to pursue him when Pride grabbed his wrist.

"This is your fault. It's your fault that mom's gone!" Pride tried to punch Edward but he stepped back.

"Easy!"

"My mom's gone!" Edward blocked all punches that were thrown at him, "She was your mom too and you killed her!"

Edward was thrown off guard by this. He fell when Pride punched him. Pride got on top and tried to choke him. He was about to punch him one more time when a female voice stopped him.

"That's enough!"

"This has nothing to do with you!"

"If there's anyone you should want to kill, it should be me, my child."

"No! You're not my mom."

"You're absolutely nothing to me!" Pride ran towards this woman.

"Teacher!" Pride pushed the woman aside and ran into the forest.

Edward was about to get up but fell back down. Izumi walked up to him, "Are you okay?"

"He cried… I couldn't bring myself to cry. That poor kid was crying like a baby like he was doing it for me."

Izumi walked over to him and helped him up, "Enough. For now, let's just focus on finding Alphonse. I can't do much in this shape but I can sure as hell be a crutch. Now where to?"

Edward smiled gently then slowly stood up.


	34. Chapter 34

Edward and Izumi returned to the room where Lust and Melita stayed behind.

"Melita!" Edward found her on the ground. Izumi helped him to her. Edward carefully picked up Melita to find her holding the pendant.

"Lust…"

"It seems that the circle is broken." Izumi noticed the cracks along the circle.

"Melita! Hey, wake up…" Edward shook her. Slowly, she woke up.

Izumi observed this girl closely, "This girl…"

"… Is the child that grew up in that house with Dante."

Izumi was surprised.

"Ed…" Melita sat up on her own, "I have to stop passing out like this…"

"You keep her exerting yourself, you shouldn't transmute too much."

"From the looks of it, it seems like you sealed a Homunculus here." Melita flinched, then looked down steadily. She shook her head.

"Then it must've been…" Melita shook her head.

"In any case, that means there are four of them left. The child, the one that eats everything, the one who can transform into anything, and the Fuhrer."

Melita shook her head, "There's two more."

Izumi looked at her.

Edward continued, "The one that controls them all…"

"And me." Izumi stared in disbelief. Melita looked past Edward to a man. Shou Tucker.

The two looked back.

"Nina, say hello. That's your friend there. Don't be shy, say hello." Melita cringed at the soulless doll that he held in his arms. Edward and Izumi pitied him.

"Even with the stone, her soul didn't come back."

"Why don't you play in the courtyard with Alexander? Oh! Where is that dog?"

Edward walked over to a table. There were various guns on it. He examined one.

"And you're fine with this?"

"That's a soulless doll. It's the form that his sin had taken on."

Sin? If that is, in fact, true, then Melita has to bear that sin with him.

"It's just like Greed represented my sin. Craft yours."

"Don't worry, Nina, daddy will keep you safe." Tucker walked back down to the basement. Edward transmuted the gun and made it a part of his automail leg.

"You've really grown up, Edward."

"Grown up? I thought I grew up when I became a state alchemist. Obviously, I still had a long way to go from there." Edward tested his foot, to see if he could move properly.

"What do we do now?" Izumi asked.

"The way I see it, there's one other homunculus out there."

"I'll take it you're talking about the big one, Fuhrer Bradley."

Edward nodded.


	35. Chapter 35

The alarm rang. Two soldiers were knocked unconscious.

"You should've checked to see if he were here before we stormed in!" Izumi scolded edward.

"It's not my fault! How the hell was I suppose to know he was gonna leave early for his kid's birthday!?"

"It's not even his kid!" Melita added, "Homunculi can't reproduce!"

Their argument was at a stand still when more soldiers arrived.

"There they are!" Soldiers appeared at the end of the hall.

Izumi transmuted and was followed by Edward, "Don't make excuses!"

"Listen to reason!" Edward said. Melita grunted. The ground rose beneath the soldiers and grew towards them, pushing the men down and allowing the three to escape.

Edward, Izumi, and Melita ran down the hall and around the corner, "Now what are we gonna do!?"

Edward stopped when a door was slammed open. Izumi bumped into him and Melita bumped into Izumi. They looked inside before being pulled in by a rope. The door was closed and it disappeared. Soldiers ran past the wall.

"Where'd they go!?"

.

.

"Ow…" Edward muttered.

"Are you okay?" Asked a voice. Edward looked up to find Lt. Ross and Sgt. Brosh holding a tree like rope. Behind them were two boys. One was taller and one was shorter and much younger. They were a noble type of blond with lavender eyes.

"It's the imposters…" Edward noted.

The taller boy became annoyed, "It's Russell Tringham!"

"They were mistaken for you guys, and got arrested."

"It's such a troublesome tale, what with this much difference in our heights." Russell measured Edward's height with his hand. This made Edward angry.

"What was that?" Edward growled. The two got into an argument while the little brother of the Tringham boy tried to stop them.

Melita noticed that there was a strange transmutation circle behind them on the wall. She tried to recall whether or not she's seen it before…

"The Fuhrer suddenly ordered them to be executed."

"We thought that was too much. When we came to ask them what the situation was…"

"The commotion we caused allowed them to escape?" Izumi asked. By now, the boys stopped quarreling. Edward looked down steadily. The boys looked at Edward.

There were loud voices on the other side of the wall. They asked for three intruders.

"We finally meet again, and here we have to leave right away." Edward looked at the little brother.

"All is forgiven, Edward. After all, you brought this beautiful gift." Russell walked over to Melita and grabbed her hands. He tried to charm her.

"H-hey!" Edward tried to stop him.

Melita gave him an innocent smile, one she had given Edward long ago. This made Russell and Edward blush and said, "No."

The boy sulked.

"Where to?" Lt. Ross asked.

"The Fuhrer's residence, perhaps?" Izumi said, "It seems like the only place left."

"Um…" Melita and the younger boy spoke up. Melita looked at the boy they called Fletcher. Fletcher looked at her then dug into his pocket. He pulled out a slip of paper. It was from a journal that their father had written. Edward read it over, he couldn't believe what he was reading. He called over his teacher.

Izumi read the letter given to Edward over his shoulder. Just as Izumi was about to open her mouth to say something, Melita spoke for her.

"The cathedral is near the warehouse district, that's where the entrance is," Melita said without looking at the paper.

They were about to question her knowledge when there was a loud crash. They looked behind them to find a hole in the wall.

A man who was part human and part metal walked in. Out of his elbow was a long gun barrel. It seemed that he had replaced half his body with automail.

"Who… Who are you?!" Lt. Ross demanded to know.

"Frank… Archer…" Edward gasped.

"Edward Elric as well as the woman who got away from the Southern Command Center…" His mouth abruptly opened to expose a mini gun. It fired at them. They tried to quickly get out of the way. Melita was about to transmute when one of the bullets pierced her right shoulder.

"Ack!"

"Melita!"

The attack stopped and Izumi stepped in front of her.

"Edward, get everyone out of here. Go to the warehouse district."

"Teacher…"

"Don't worry about me, just go!" When she clapped her hands, Edward helped Melita up and ran out of the room behind everyone else.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked as he helped carry her.

Melita removed her hand which was covering the wound. She only found blood.

"Damn, the bullet is still in there…" Melita paused. Then looked over to him, "Edward… My regeneration is wanting to fail…"

"What!?" Edward didn't know what to say, "That's impossible..."

"Edward, you go on ahead, we'll take care of these three." Sgt. Brosh was going to take Melita when she stopped him.

"I have to go with him. I have a family feud to settle."

He hesitated before Edward nodded. The group parted ways.


	36. Chapter 36

"What is the fastest way to get there?" Edward asked Melita as they snuck out into the yard.

"Car would be fastest but we don't know how to drive..." Melita felt the bullet being slowly pushed out. It was more painful it going out than the bullet going in, "We're gonna have to take our chances."

"I may be immortal but you're still human, Ed! We at least gotta get there alive!" Melita felt something hard touch her fingertips. She grabbed on and pulled.

"That hurt." She glared at the bullet. Melita threw it aside and looked up to find that Edward had climbed up the wall. He jumped off.

"Edward!" She heard tires screech to a stop. She, too, followed him.

"Colonel?" Edward asked. Melita stood up after having jumped down from the wall. Inside the car were Colonel Roy Mustang and Lt. Riza Hawkeye, both of which were in disguise.

.

.

The four sat in the car, Edward next to Mustang and Melita next to Hawkeye.

"So, where are you going, Colonel?"

"The Wague district."

"The Fuhrer has a residence there." Hawkeye finished.

"What business do you have there?" Edward asked but failed to get a response, "I guess I don't have to ask. Still, it must be under guard.

"Major Armstrong is staging a rebellion for me. I doubt they would even think I was hiding in Central."

"I thought you were going to distinguish yourself in a battle to rise to Fuhrer, weren't you?"

"You also became a dog of the military, in order to attain your goal. But then—" Hawkeye began.

"Lieutenant." Hawkeye stopped speaking.

"Just swallow all of the evil that comes at you, and realize your dream— That's what I thought the right way to do things was."

"If you fight the Fuhrer directly now, you won't be in the right. Even if you do beat him, you'll never be able to be a leader again. The masses won't acknowledge you."

Melita listened into their conversation. Edward had a point, but Mustang would be doing the country a big favor. The masses is simply but a minority, just those amongst the military. The country is the majority. Should the people become unhappy, there would be an uproar…

"Even so, I can't let that man get away with it."

"You're going to avenge Lt. Col. Hughes, huh?"

"Yeah. He must have known everything that was going on within the military."

"You're going to throw away everything you've obtained up to now for this?"

"No great loss." He turned to Edward, "Isn't that true for you, too? You gave up being a dog of the military for the sake of your brother. You spat up the evil you swallowed, trying to pretend you're an adult. Both of us are trying like little children to be faithful in living out our dreams. You're coming with me, right?"

"I tried working for the military, but I thought that wars are something that somebody somewhere started and ended in some place unknown to us, and that we didn't have anything to do with them. But, there is someone out there who manipulates wars to make Philosopher's Stones. So as long as there are people who seeks the Philosopher's Stone, the wars will continue."

Melita cringed. The truth hurt. As long as people like her exist, there will be no peace. So as long people like her seek for the ultimate power, people will continue to die…

"And the inclination to wage them is within all of us."

"And the Homunculi added fuel to the flames of war…" Melita spoke up. Edward pitied her. A man-made monster, "It's a human that creates us. We're nothing more than what their hearts and desires made us…"

"And if that's the case, then tire's no such thing as a war we don't have anything to do with."

"But that is too much for us to take on. All you and I can do at one time is what is before us."

Edward paused with a frown on his face.

"I'm going to find this person who created the Homunculi and defeat them. Then I'm going to destroy the Philosopher's stone, so that nobody will ever remember it again. So that if will eventually vanish from everyone's memory…"

"Wait… Destroy?" Hawkeye question.

"So I'll take it that you were finally able to get your hands on it, I'm guessing it was the one that Scar was working on."

Melita lightly shook with fear. No matter how she looks at it, she is going to die… Whether its betrayal from this boy or being consumed by the Philosopher's stone within her, her future seemed bleak...

"He's not the only one who forged the Philosopher's stone. It was within our own hearts."

"But wasn't that your dream, Edward? To use the Philosopher's Stone to take back what you had lost?

"All of that would mean nothing if it came at the expense of so much pain."

"Then there's something more important than that?" Mustang asked. Melita didn't understand. What could he want more than to make his life right again?

"Something more important than ourselves, or our dreams…"

Melita looked down at her hands which were curled up tightly into a fist.

.

.

.

Edward and Mustang bid each other farewell outside of a cathedral.

Melita stood next to the driver's side of the car.

"It strikes me odd.." Hawkeye told her, "If you are a homunculus, then you surely know who your master is… Couldn't you have told Edward from the beginning?"

Melita watched as Mustang saluted but then put his hand down.

"That foul woman goes by many names. She's never stuck to one. Even if I had told Edward, what are the chances of him knowing who this is? It would only allow him to address this person by their name."

Edward patted Mustang's hand which intentionally when for a handshake.

"Take care of yourself." Hawkeye looked at Melita in the eyes. She nodded.

"You too. Wrath is fearsome. He's a merciless murderer, so watch yourselves."

"Melita let's go." She bid one last farewell to Hawkeye and Mustang before running off with Edward.


	37. Chapter 37

Envy dropped Alphonse's armor on the floor in a dimly lit room.

"Where are we?" He asked as he watched Envy sit down on the bed.

"We're at Her house."

"Her? The one who is making you Homunculi search for the Philosopher's Stone?"

"That's not all. The one who found us, brought us together, and nurtured us."

"You're being tricked— All you Homunculi who want to become human."

"Those who are being tricked are fools."

"What about you?"

"Yeah, I know. She only wants the stone for a personal use. But to tell you the truth, as long as I get to see humans suffer, that's good enough for me."

Alphonse got up and pounced towards Envy but was simply pushed back.

"Hey, hey! You're carrying precious cargo! Don't push it."

"I hate you!"

Envy put his foot on Alphonse.

"How many people do you think Scar killed to make you the Philosopher's Stone? Of all the soldiers that charges into Liore, 7000 of them disappeared in an instant. Don't worry, they're right here." Envy tapped his foot.

"Oh yeah, and the guys that died long ago in Ishbal that were in Scar's right arm are locked away in there as well. Isn't that great?! You've got thousands— tens of thousands— of lives there inside you. We should put them to good use, huh?!" Envy kicked Alphonse's head off before leaving the room.

Alphonse sighed, "There back been so many times where I should've died… Time after time…" Alphonse recalled the time when he failed to bring his mother back to life and when Lust almost scratched off his seal, "So then, why am I still alive? Brother? Dad?"


	38. Chapter 38

Cathedral. Russel was becoming impatient as he tapped his finger on his arm.

They heard the door open. Melita walked in followed by Edward.

"Edward!" Fletcher called out.

"What took you so long?"

"Sorry, got caught up on something." Edward said, "Is this the place?"

Melita felt herself being drawn towards the altar.

"This is it." Melita said as she examined the broken glass windows.

"Show me the letter one more time." Edward asked.

Melita listened about how the Tringham father had come here to find way to refine the red water. He ended up in the 5th laboratory where he met an alchemist. That alchemist told him of an element that was necessary to transmute the red water into a Philosopher's stone. He was then brought here to the cathedral where the four stood.

Melita couldn't take her eyes off the figure in the stained glass.

"To think that there's an even bigger lab than the 5th. Have you heard anything about it, Melita?" Edward asked.

Melita didn't listen to him.

She began to whisper, "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the Beginning, is now, and shall be, world without End."

Melita clapped her hands. This surprised the boys. They watched as glass that was on the floor was reattaching itself to the window. They watched in awe as the light shone on the floor. A transmutation circle activated in front of Melita. A part of the large altar sunk into the ground. It uncovered an entrance.

"How…?" Russel was at a loss of words.

"This is what you're looking for." Melita told them.

"Then we're going. You two should wait here." Edward said.

"But if Alphonse is in danger, maybe we could help!" Fletcher insisted.

"What dwells down there are not human. They're horrible creatures who seek pleasure in other's pain." Melita said as she looked inside.

"Don't worry. I'll get him out of here alive, no matter what." Edward said.

Just as Edward stepped inside, Russel stopped him.

"Edward, I didn't show you the letter so you could create the stone."

"Trust me. I'm not gonna make one… That's the last thing I ever plan on doing." Edward continued down the stairs.

"Wait…" Fletcher stopped Melita.

"What are you? How did you know where this place was?" Russel asked.

"Do you want the truth?" Melita paused, "I'm a monster."


	39. Chapter 39

"Earlier, you were saying something." Edward said as he through the underground man made lake.

"It was a prayer." Melita said, "You see, this cathedral belonged to a religion that was once practiced here. Back in the days of Christ, the god who had died then was resurrected three days later."

"Teacher told me about this religion." Edward said.

"But you see, the religion may have been innocent in the eyes of many, but it held many dark secrets…" Melita and Edward came across a sunken city, "The religion ended up bringing the downfall of this city."

"When did you find out about this?" Edward asked as he gaped at the sight.

"When I was a kid, I was told stories of historical locations and secrets. I never thought it would be true until now."

"Then this place…"

"Disappeared in one night."

"These people were all sacrificed for the Philosopher's stone." Melita nodded, "Then all evidence of their existence erased… Using alchemy the city was pulled under ground leaving nothing behind but a rumor to fill the curious. Was there really someone who thought all this up?"

Melita crossed her arms as she gazed upon the forgotten city.

"Are you in here dad?!" Edward shouted, "You did this! You came up with the whole plan didn't you!? Tell me!"

.

.

.

Rose sat on a couch with her child in her arms. She wore a beautiful dress. Gluttony was wandering around aimlessly.

"No, Gluttony." Gluttony was pushed away from Rose.

Lyra sat down next to Rose, "Why must I always remind him that you're too important to eat?"

She caressed Rose's face then pressed her fingers against her lips.

"So pretty. It's no wonder why Ed and Al would like you. They are his children…"

"What happened to Lust!?" Gluttony asked as he flipped over a table.

"I don't know, maybe she's lost. Now we must make sure we wear our finest dresses. I want everything to be perfect for him."

There was a knock at the door.

"He's here."

.

.

Lyra and Envy were in the entrance hall when Pride tumbled into the room.

He was whining.

"Where is he!?"

"What now?" Lyra asked.

Pride clinged onto Envy, "Where is he? I need the Philosopher's stone! I need it!"

"What's the meaning of this? I thought I told you to keep a eye on Edward."

"It's not my fault he can't follow orders. It's been turned over to Sloth as far as I'm aware of."

"Prude, you have to be a good boy, or I won't make you human."

"There's no time! Mommy is going be all gone!"

"Mommy?" Lyra seemed to be confused.

"I dunno. I think he's talking about Greed."

"Greed is not your mommy. Homunculi don't have mothers."

"Save her, please I need her!"

"Stop talking like a human."

"I need her!"

"Envy."

Envy pushed the kid back. When Pride got back up, Envy kicked him back to the wall. Pride was about to transmute when he stepped on his arm.

"What do you think you can do in your shape? Now come here!" Envy began beating him.


	40. Chapter 40

Back in Central HQ, Izumi hid behind a stone wall with Archer shooting at her back. He stopped and replaced the attack with a laugh.

"No wonder that Elric brat likes to use his automail so much. The amount of power it supplies is absolutely exhilarating."

"That is precisely why I hate the military, cause of power hungry filth like you!"

"For the last time, give up and join me and my men. We will soon be waging a war in all direction Ushering in a new era of domination. You can still be a part of it."

"I'd rather rot in hell."

"Permission granted!"

Archer dashed for Izumi just as she jumped away. She transmuted a small wall only large enough to protect herself. She began to cough up blood.

Archer continued to fire, shooting a bullet that grazed her arm. Izumi found a gun being pointed at her head.

"Your students will follow you soon." He was surprised when Lt. Ross and Sgt. Brosh started shooting him, "You fools, I'm your superior officer!"

A small group of soldiers moved in, shooting archer.

"You'll regret this!" Archer said before running out of the room.

"Izumi!" The two officers helped her up and out of the room.

"Edward… where is he? He must be at the cathedral now… Don't tell me you believe in those kids…"

"Believing in and protecting children is the job of an adult. That's what someone once told me."

.

.

.

"Honestly, Den. How many times do I have to tell you." Winry took off a small crawfish off of Den's nose, "Crawfish aren't for you to play with. Why do you always insist in learning things the hard ways."

Sheska chuckled. The three were sitting by the river side. The sun was beginning to set.

"Something the matter?" Winry asked.

"I think I just figured something out…"

"What?"

"Before Hughes died, he said something. 'What if everything was backwards?' I never understood what it he meant."

"And you figured it out?"

"We've been thinking that the Homunculi were trying to create the Philosopher's stone. But what if it was the other way around? They wait until it is just barely completed, and then take it away. Then, they eliminate everyone who can prove it ever happened. What's left is a rumor that says that if you come near the Philosopher's stone, you'll be destroyed. In time, people become afraid of the Philosopher's stone…"

"So they will keep away from it?"

"But that would almost make them good people, wouldn't it?" Sheska said this in a way that she didn't want it to happen, "They're making sure people stay out of danger, after all."

"What's more, no matter how dangerous it is, I'll bet that people will still go on looking for it."

"I wonder how those three are doing."

"I'm sure they're getting along fine. That much is certain."

Sheska stopped and looked at the sun that was hiding behind the mountains, "You know what, Winry… I bet you're right. For humanity's sake, I hope you're wrong…"


	41. Chapter 41

Edward and Melita started walking on the bridge. Edward heard a distant sound. It sounded like music. he looked down to find a large building.

Melita surveyed the area. This city seemed to be about 400 years old.

"Could Hohenheim of Light really be behind this?" Melita asked. She looked around to find her by herself, "Edward? Where'd you go?"

She got no answer. Melita clapped her hands and transmuted. She stepped onto a stretching of the bridge and continued on the city.

.

.

.

Edward followed the music to a grand hall. He opened the main doors. Once inside, he could see how big it really was. The music surrounded him. He was surprised to find a girl dancing in front of him in an elegant dress… A girl… A girl that looked quite a lot like…

"Rose?" She stopped dancing and looked at him. Her eyes were empty, as though it wasn't her inside that body.

"Edward… I've been waiting."

.

.

.

Melita looked around the city. She found nothing. That's when she heard it.

"Music?" Melita said. She tried to follow it to its source.

.

.

.

Rose had forced Edward to dance with her.

"Uh, Rose, what are you doing here?"

"I've been waiting here for you for a very long time." She looked at him, "Edward, I…"

Edward snapped out of it. He pulled away from Rose, "Rose, I need to know if Al was brought here." She didn't answer. They were interrupted by a baby's cry." Edward turned around to find Lyra standing there in a beautiful dress.

"My baby…" Rose went to its aid. Lyra happily handed the child over.

"You should've kept dancing with her. She's been waiting for you ever since we fled. You're so horrible."

"Lyra, you brought Rose here?"

"There's an old city that only alchemists know of. That's what Lady Dante told me."

"Speaking of Dante, I still haven't heard how she was killed."

"She was killed by the Homunculus Greed. I thought I told you."

"That's a lie."

"A lie?"

"That transmutation circle that was led in Dante's house… was one that could keep a Homunculus from moving. There were bones from the man whom Greed was based there. Greed should not have been able to take action against Dante."

"Are you sure? Still, Lady Dante is finitely dead."

"But supposing that what was there was nothing more than a shell that her soul had sloughed off…"

"What are you trying to say?

"Suppose there were people who used the power of the Philosopher's Stone to move from one body to another, and who have lived for hundred of years. Back there, you made it look like you were dead, and then you took over Lyra's body. Isn't that right!?"

"Edward, what are you saying? Such hurtful things-"

Edward transmuted. He pulled a long spear from the ground and threw it at Lyra. Lyra clapped her hands and simply destroyed the spear with one swipe of her hand.

"That was close."

"When did you see the gate? You transmuted without a circle. that's my answer, Dante!"

"When did you figure it out, Edward Elric? I highly doubt it was my cute little Melita who told you of this."

"So it's true then."

"I've really come to like this body."

"So what number is she?"

"Who knows? I know for a fact it hasn't been ten yet. After all, I have to use the stone each time."

"Did you wipe out the residents of this city to make your Philosopher's stone?"

"Yes, the same as with the nation to the east, which was destroyed overnight. I should mention, though, that I was not the one who made them."

"Hohenheim of Light…"

"You shouldn't address your own father like that."

"So he has prolonged his life the same way you have. For what reason?

"Because we deserve to."

"You covertly create the Philosopher's stone just so you can use it to extend your own lives. You think you can get away with that?"

"Humans cannot use the Philosopher's Stone."

"Is that why, when people fail to complete a Philosopher's Stone, you obliterate everything, and leave behind the story… that you will be destroyed if you get too close to the Philosopher's Stone."

"Yes, to keep people from getting too close to the stone. As for those who still get too close, we take it from them at the last minute and use it carefully. After all, there's no telling what humans would do if they were given a stone, right? I do it to keep foolish people from destroying the world. You could say that I have extended my life to protect the world. To keep humans from doing anything foolish with the Philosopher's Stone."

"Cut the crap, you're human, too!"

"Not anymore."

Gluttony burst into the room screaming Lust.

"Lust! Where's Lust!?"

"What a shame. I was looking forward to entering this girl's body, and making love to Hohenheim's son."

"Rose's body is next, is it!?" Edward said.

"Yes. I have obtained a Philosopher's stone again, and all…"

"Where's Al!?"

"Where's Lust!?" Gluttony demanded to know.

"Ask him, Gluttony."

Gluttony attacked Edward and chomped on his arm, "Where's Lust!?"

"She was killed by Pride while she tried to help Melita."

"Lust… is dead?" Gluttony fell back, as though he realized he has no purpose in this world.

"Gluttony?" Dante asked.

"Lust…" He got up and wandered away.

"Gluttony!"

"Watch yourself!" Edward transmuted his automail into a blade. Dante clapped her hands and out came a large stone snake. It attacked Edward, but he jumped high above it and ran down its body.

Dante was surprised to see him running towards her. He swung his blade as Dante jumped away. She felt a draft. She looked down to find that Edward had cut the front of her dress, exposing her breasts. What one expected to see skin instead witnessed rotting flesh.

"I knew it." Edward stood up straight, "Repeatedly bonding just your soul is not something you can continue doing forever. Equivalent exchange! That's the backlash from performing that idiocy over and over!"

"Equivalent exchange? Do you still believe in that childish theory?" Dante used alchemy to restore her dress.

"It's no theory! It's the law of alchemy— no, of the whole world! You're the one who said so, aren'y you? That in order to obtain anything, it requires something of equal value?"

"That's something that only a child would say. Like 'make everything equal,' or 'that wouldn't be fair.' However, there's no such thing as equivalent exchange."

"That's absurd!"

"There is a cost required in order for you to obtain something… In that case, if you reverse it— if you pay a price— you are certain to obtain something, right? That's right. That's why people put forth an effort to pay the price."

"But there's something strange about that. After all, even if you all pay the same price, you can't always necessarily obtain the same thing."

"Well, that's…" Edward was at a loss.

"There's the State Alchemist Exam, right? In order to pass it, many people spend time studying. That's a cost. But only a handful of people actually pass it. Everyone may start out the same when they learn alchemy, but huge differences arise in their actual abilities. And people's lives are not all equal, either."

Dante clapped her hands and the snake moved, pushing Rose back and taking the child into its mouth. It began to cry.

"If nobody does anything, that baby is going to die, right?" Edward pleaded for her to stop, "It really would be easy for me to kill it. If I do, was the baby born only in order to die? The baby is paying the price of desperately trying to survive. Yet, is death the only thing it is going to get for that? Elsewhere, there are people that kill others and continue to of on living. No matter how hard you may try to live, when it's time for you to die, you die. When you compare that to people who don't make any effort, yet are afforded riches and power and live lives of happiness, it's quite unfair, isn't it? The world is quite cruel. Which is why you might say it's so beautiful."

"But the sophistry!" Edward destroyed the snake wth alchemy and caught the child.

Rose went to aid the child, "My baby."

"Equivalent exchange is an excuse that the weak use to comfort themselves. They tell themselves that by paying a price, it's supposed to make themselves happier."

"This baby doesn't have to make any excuses!"

Dante chuckled, "You're his son, all right."

Edward turned around.

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.

"Come on, Edward… Please be here…" Melita opened the door to the grand hall. She was blined by a bright light. When it dimmed she watched as Edward was pulled into The Gate.

"EDWARD!"


	42. Chapter 42

Dante was surprised to see Melita standing there.

"Ah! There you are! I was starting to think that you got lost." Dante smiled at her, "Welcome home, my child."

Melita was cautious.

"I have to thank you for bringing that boy here with you. Though I must say, I'm at a loss."

"Where… where is he?" Melita asked.

"Where? He's on the other side of the gate."

"The... other side…" Melita gasped. What's on the other side… What's beyond the gate of truth? What more knowledge does it hold?

"Come here," Dante asked her. Carefully, Melita walked over to her. Dante embraced her. Though this woman is alive, she does not produce heat. Her skin is pure ice, as though she were already dead.

"I hear that Lust is dead." Dante said, "You wouldn't have anything to do with that, now would you?"

Melita was careful. She shook her head.

"Cause what I was told, she died… protecting you… Protecting you from what?" Dante asked, "She died at the hands of Pride in order to protect you… You wouldn't have betrayed me, now would you?"

Melita shook her head as she steadily looked down.

"I don't know what Lust has told you, but remember, you're mine." Melita looked up to find that Dante had placed her hand above the Ouroboros tattoo.

"What are you doing?!" Melita tried to pull away. Dante had transmuted her Tattoo. She felt her mind go blank. Her will became sluggish. The feeling of wanting to cease to exist had returned.

"Now do me a favor, draw a transmutation circle over there," Dante ordered. Melita nodded and proceeded.

.

.

Envy kicked open the doors to the grand hall. He was carrying Alphonse on his shoulder.

"You're here, Envy." Dante said, "Melita is just finishing up the circle."

Alphonse looked up to find Melita standing behind a transmutation circle.

"Melita! Melita!" Alphonse called out but got no response.

Envy pulled Alphonse to the circle where he became immobilized.

"Snap out of it, Melita! You're not one of them!" Alphonse pleaded. Once again, Melita responded with silence.

"It's futile, Alphonse. This girl has no will. She's mine and neither you nor Edward will take her from me."

"You're wrong, Dante! Melita is human! She was born human!" Melita flinched.

A blue light lit up the circle.


	43. Chapter 43

Gluttony whined as he paced back and forth.

"Eat him." Envy ordered, "Make him a complete Stone inside you.

"Lust… What happened to Lust?" Gluttony asked.

Envy became angry, "What's the matter with you!? Eat him, right now! Let me see his son gurgling away inside of you! Damn it, I wanted to tear the runt to pieces, too!"

Dante walked to Gluttony. He asked if she had seen her.

"I'm sorry. I know it was sudden." She bent down and stroked his head. She shoved her hand into his mouth and pulled out his tongue. She transmuted his tongue, just as she did to Melita.

"Gluttony?" Envy called him. He growled at him.

"Careful. Right now, he possesses nothing but his appetite. He was originally going to be the Homunculus I used to refine red water. He doesn't need a mind." Gluttony crawled slowly towards his next meal, Alphonse. Melita watched.

There was a loud patting. Dante warned Envy who turned around to find Pride running towards him. He caught him.

"You can't let him use alchemy." Dante took Rose's child and activated the transmutation circle.

"Bring back my mommy!" Pride found himself in front of The Gate. Envy moved aside. He watched as it opened. Long black hands stretched towards him. The grabbed onto his right and left leg and pulled forcefully, ripping off his limbs.

"Naughty boy. Right now, the Philosopher's Stone has been activated to its maximum level. If you were to use alchemy here, the transmutation would be started." Dante shook her head when she saw Pride tremble on the floor, "And here I let you live because I thought you were still of use to me."

"The gate." Melita and Dante looked over to find the Gate still standing, "The gate is still here…"

The doors were forced open and someone fell out.

"Ed?!" Envy backed away.

Melita was shocked to see him there.

"Brother!" Alphonse called out.

Edward sat up, "Al?"

He looked at his automail, "So that's it… The other 'me' over here died…"

Other him? What was he talking about?

"I ended up using another life from the other side, haven't I?"

"That was amazing, Edward." Said a voice.

Edward looked up to find an elderly man who was known as Doctor Marcoh. Merlin remembered that Lust was once in search for this man.

"What are you doing here?" Edward asked. He watched as the old man transformed into Maes Hughes. Edward frowned.

"Ed, you're the one who turned Doctor Marcoh over to the Fuhrer, aren't you? There's no way he could be safe. He's long since gone into his stomach." He pointed to Gluttony. It's as though you were the one who killed him. And while we're at it, that goes for me, too."

He pulled out push knives and threw them at Edward. Edward tried to dodge them.

"It must be difficult, fighting the faces of those you know. Even though you've convinced yourself that it's not the real person!"

Hughes ran to Edward. He tried cutting him but Edward got behind Hughes and pulled his arm behind his back. He then used his right arm to wrap around the neck. Edward pushed Hughes down to his knees.

"Is that it!? Is that the only power you've got?! If so, I've got you beat! I've already defeated many other Homunculi. Even the one that looked like my mom. At this point, no matter whose face you take on… I'll kill you."

Envy transformed into Trisha.

"If that's so… Kill me right now." He elbowed Edward in the stomach. Just as Envy stood up, Melita kicked him in the head, sending him flying.

"What?" Dante questioned this sudden attack.

"Melita?" Edward asked.

Envy had transformed back, "What the hell are you doing, Sloth!?"

"You're not supposed to be able to move without my order!" Dante became angry.

"I'm not your puppet, Dante." Melita glared at this woman with anger. Dante came to a sudden realization.

"Oh?" She sounded euphoric, "How beautiful… This is perfect…"

Dante began to laugh hysterically.

"Master?"

"That experiment 16 years ago… It was actually successful!" Dante smirked as she stared into Melita's, now, bright red eyes, "You're a Philosopher's Stone!"


	44. Chapter 44

"You're a philosopher's stone!" Dante hummed.

"Melita is…" Alphonse gasped.

"So this whole time… there was a Philosopher's stone under our noses?" Envy got up and walked towards them. Edward clapped his hands to transmute but Melita stopped him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Dante said, "There's no telling what will happen to your brother."

Edward looked at Melita for confirmation. She nodded.

"If a transmutation were to occur around him, then I'm sure…" Envy walked up to them, "You know what will happen."

Envy tried to punch Melita in the face put but she bent back and kicked his chin. Edward tried to attack too, but Envy blocked his punches and kneed his stomach. Edward quickly recovered and threw punches at Envy. Envy jumped and spun to avoid his hits.

"It's no use! I'm the stronger one, after all!" Envy had jumped high in the air. When he landed, he felt a hand grab his ankle. He looked down he found what was left of Pride clinging on to him.

"Why, you!" Envy turned and kicked Pride. Edward came from behind and tackled Envy onto the floor. Edward punched Envy in the face.

"Edward, please stop it!" His face transformed into Trisha.

"Stop messing with me!" Edward punched him again only for him to turn into Doctor Marcoh.

"Edward!" Then again into Hughes. Then once more into Roy Mustang.

"Fullmetal!"

"How easy!" Edward punched him again, "Show me your real face! Is using other people's faces and taking advantage of others the only thing you can do?!"

"Don't provoke him, Edward!" Melita warned him. She feared for what might be under that mask.

"You want to see it that badly?" Envy transformed back.

"Show it to me!" Edward was about to punch him again when he stopped. He was staring at a man who resembled his father. He looked exactly how Hohenheim would have looked as a teenager.

"What's the matter? You wanted to see it, didn't you?"

"D… ad…" Edward began to tremble.

"Envy was the first Homunculus, created when Hohenheim was still young. That boy that he had with me at the time died from mercury poisoning. He tried to bring him back to life somehow, but failed."

"And then he abandoned me. You can understand why I hate him, right?"

Melita was at a loss just as the Elric brothers were. Has this homunculus undergone the same thing Lust had? The memories of his past had been restored?

Melita got chills as she heard a splatter on the floor. She began to shake.

Envy had stabbed Edward through the chest. Envy laid him down next to him.

"Brother?" Alphonse tried to look over.

Melita tried to step forward but lost feeling in her legs.

"E… Ed…" She heard Rose say.

"Edward!" Melita was on the verge of tears as she watched the puddle of blood grow.

Edward Elric was dead.


	45. Chapter 45

"Edward!" Rose tried to run to him but was held back by Dante.

Melita didn't know what she should do. Her back was against the wall.

"Humans die all too quickly." Envy got up.

"Brother! Brother! It's can't be! There's no way Brother can be dead!" Alphonse stared at his brother's body.

"Dead?" Pride couldn't believe it.

"That's right, dead. They'll all be dead." Envy laughed. Melita snuck behind him and snapped his neck. Envy fell to the floor.

"That will shut you up for a while."

"Melita, you insolent child! Have you forgotten who raised you?! Who took you in after your parents abandoned you?!" Gluttony ran sat in the circle as he began eating away at Alphonse. "You were the one who killed them!" Melita touched her chest, "They're in here… Along with those soldiers from Liore… You made me into a monster, Dante! You turned me into a Homunculus."

"You fool!" They heard a clap, "What? What has he done? Gluttony?"

Gluttony pulled back. They found that the bottom of his mouth had been melted.

"Alchemic decomposition?"

Melita watched as Alphonse stood up. He had red marks all over his armor. The Philosopher's Stone within his body began to glow brightly.

"How could you!?"

"I told you, you can't use alchemy! That much more has been lost!" Dante pushed the child onto Rose. Melita ran to her.

"Rose, are you okay?" Rose was scared of this girl but responded with a "Yes".

"Stay back!" They looked over to find that Alphonse had stopped Dante, "Do not touch me!"

They watched as Alphonse walk to his brother.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm bringing brother back to life. See? There's still color in his face."

"You little bitch!" Envy sat up. He looked around. He found Alphonse kneeling by his brother, "What are you doing!?"

"His soul is still inside the gate. All I have to do is bring it back from there. The way brother did it for me."

"Alphonse! If you do that-" Melita tried to reason with him. She didn't want to lose this brother either.

"I was turned into a Philosopher's Stone because of the sacrifices of many. I should have died that day."

"Al…" She felt his pain...

"I have to do this."

Alphonse clapped his hands.

"Envy! Stop him!" Envy quickly got up and jumped towards him. There was a bright blue light that engulfed the room. Melita tried to cover Rose from it.

When the blue light died down, Envy and Alphonse were nowhere to be found.

Melita turned around.

"Alphonse?" Rose called out.

Gluttony was sitting dumbfounded. Melita walked to him and patted him on the head. He was about to try to eat her when Melita showed him a pendant. The pendant that had killed Lust.

"Gluttony… Please stop this… Lust wouldn't want you running on your own."

"Lush…?"

"I'll let you meet her if you let me?"

"Lush…? Will I mee Lush?"

"Yes."

"I wan o shee Lush!"

Melita closed her eyes and touched his tongue. The tattoo slowly disappeared. Eventually, Gluttony became ashes.

"Dammit…" Dante cursed. She turned around to find Rose holding the child, "We have to start over… You're coming with me! Gluttony!"

"Stop it right there, Dante!"

She flinched and looked over to find Melita standing in front a pile of ashes.

"Gluttony? What did you do?"

"I did what should've been done a long time ago."

Dante frowned and clapped her hands. She had a pillar rise from the floor and try to crush her. Melita jumped above it and ran to her. She clapped her hands and pulled the spear from the pillar. She kneed Dante in the stomach and pointed the spear at her neck.

"Stop! Stop!" She pleaded, "I'm sorry! Melita, please don't kill me! I'm all you have left! I'm your family!"

"You're nothing to me. I have a family… And they're waiting back in Resembool." Dante began to cry.

"Please don't leave me! I have nothing! Everyone's gone! Melita please, I beg of you, spare me! I won't create another Philosopher's stone… I don't have much time left… Please…"

Melita pitied this woman. She was about to remove the spear when Dante clapped her hands and touched the tattoo.

Melita stabbed the woman before she fell back.

"You hag…" Melita found it hard to breathe.

"There's a big disadvantage of being a live homunculus." Dante said as she tried to gasp for breath, "It's that you're still alive. You have everything on you. Bones, memories, all of that! All I have to do is just alchemically discompose you and like that, you're gone…"

"Are you okay?" Rose asked Melita.

"The philosopher's stone won't save you now! It will kill you!"

"Go to hell, you bitch…" Melita transmuted. She made a sharp spike emerge from the floor beneath Dante. It killed her instantly.

.

.

.

Edward stood at the gate. His brother appeared before him for a few seconds before Envy took his place. Envy looked around.

"Where are we, you worm?!" He demanded to know.

"The gate." Envy turned around to find the stone doors there.

"What's on the other side?"

"Dunno. For me it was a place called London, well, that's what my old man said."

"Old man? You mean Hohenheim of Light?"

"Yeah."

"You're telling me he's still alive!?" Envy marched right up to the doors. He tried to open it.

"I wouldn't do that. There's no telling where it will lead for you."

"I'm going to go see Hohenheim! I'm going to kill him!"

He was able to open the doors. Eyes stared down at him, "Take me to where Hohenheim is!"

Envy was pulled in. He was satisfied before noticing that black figures began to cling onto him. The figures took the form of babies.

"Stop messing with me!" Envy transformed into Edward, "You're taking me to see Hohenheim! To that bastard! To my father!"

Envy transformed back to his human self before turning into a large green serpent. He glided through the gate, inching closer to the light at the end. He disappeared from sight.

Edward watched the gates close. Tears fell down from his cheeks, "Al…?"


	46. Chapter 46

"Edward? Can you hear me?" Rose watched Edward opened his eyes. Edward seemed happy to see Rose. His eyes were filled with tears.

"Yeah… Why am I crying?" Edward wiped his tears with his right hand. He stopped and looked at his hand… It was flesh… He sat up quickly.

"Alphonse transmuted you… your dead body…"

"He used the Philosopher's Stone to restore my body and soul? Then, what happened to Al!?"

Rose did not answer.

"Are you telling me that Al is gone?" Edward stood up and looked around, calling frantically for his brother. He stopped when he found Dante's corpse lying on the ground. Nearby, Melita was throwing up what seemed like blood.

"Melita!" He ran to her and picked her up, "Hey, hey, are you okay?"

Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was not blood but stones… Red stones sitting in red water… A liquid Philosopher's stone. He's seen this water before…

"Melita… Talk to me…"

"I'm sorry, Ed… I let Al…" She coughed up more stones.

"No, it's my fault."

"I should be dead… That day in the Fifth laboratory… I should have died and the day I was born… I should have died…" She paused, "Edward…"

Edward could feel her trembling. He watched as tears streamed down her face.

"I don't want to die…" Melita said. Edward couldn't help but tear up. He couldn't help this girl he met on the train that day. He couldn't help this girl who was led by corruption and raised by a monster. He was going to fail to save yet another person… "Has my life… really been meaningless? Was I just born… so I could die as a Homunculi…?"

"You're not going to die… You're human… You're human..." Edward's voice sounded shaky as he watched her throw up more stones and liquid.

Edward could see a faint smile, "Edward… You need to bring Al back…"

"What are you doing?!" Edward asked as she sat up, "Stop!"

"S… sis…!" Pride called out to her. He watched as Melita brought herself to the puddle of Edward's blood, "S… stop it!"

"Rose, please look after them… You're a strong girl... Help them get back on their feet." Melita said as she looked from Pride to Edward. Rose watched her. She felt bad, but due to the fact that she did not know this girl very well, she couldn't say anything, "And tell granny I'm sorry... I couldn't keep our promise..."

Melita clapped her hands.

"No!" Edward ran to her but Rose held him back.

She placed her hands on the blood. There was a warm bright light.

Edward watched as Melita gave him one last smile….


End file.
